One step closer to a universal flue vaccine: what the new study says

One step closer to a universal flue vaccine: what the new study says

Subject : Science and Technology

Context–

A new study describes successful animal tests of the Universal flu vaccine, which can prepare one’s body to fight every known strain of influenza. The vaccines rely on mRNA.

About the universal vaccine-

• The vaccine is in its early stages and being tested on mice and ferrets only.
• The vaccine provides hope that a single shot can be used against an entire family of viruses. Also, similar vaccines can be developed for another family of viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
• The vaccine would not replace annual flu shots but would provide a shield against severe disease and death from potential pandemic threats.

Need for a universal flu vaccine-

• Current influenza vaccines protect against seasonal flu but would provide little protection against a new strain that may emerge as a pandemic threat.
• During the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic the conventional vaccine offered little defence against the virus.
• The main constraint in developing such a vaccine was technical hurdles and the diversity of the flu virus. As there are 20 subgroups of influenza that each representing thousands of viruses.
• Current vaccines can target four subgroups at most.
• But the experimental vaccine contains all 20, and it would be faster to produce.
• The vaccine elicited high levels of antibodies to all 20 flu subtypes in ferrets and mice.

Challenges in developing such a vaccine-

• The antibodies in test animals were lower when given the vaccines, but still high enough to fight influenza.
• Designing a universal vaccine for all age groups is challenging.
• It is not known yet how long protection from such a vaccine lasts.

Way ahead-

• The vaccine provided strong protection against viruses outside of those 20 subgroups.
• Conventional flu vaccines target only the specific viruses they are designed for. But mRNA vaccines seem to produce antibodies that defend the body against a broader range of viruses than those included.
• The next step for the vaccine would be to test it in monkeys and in people.