Scientists in Germany say they've developed a nasal vaccine that can effectively shut down Covid-19 infections in the nose and throat. In hamster studies, two doses of the weakened but live coronavirus showed "sterilizing immunity," meaning the virus couldn't replicate itself in the animals' upper airways.
This approach is promising because it aims to boost mucosal immunity, which targets the tissues that line the upper respiratory tract where the virus enters the body. Researchers hope this vaccine can prevent infections before they even occur and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
The nasal vaccine takes a new approach by manipulating the genetic material in the virus to make it harder for cells to translate. This technique, called codon pair deoptimization, is similar to how some flu vaccines are developed.
In hamster studies, the vaccine performed better than other Covid-19 vaccines, including an mRNA-based vaccine and one that uses adenovirus to deliver the instructions into cells. The researchers believe this live but weakened vaccine worked well because it closely mimics a natural infection.
However, caution is warranted, as the vaccine still needs to pass more tests before it's ready for human use. Other nasal vaccines are also in development, with several already reaching late-stage testing in humans.
Despite progress being made, researchers say that developing a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity and is long-lived remains a priority. The current vaccines may boost what's already present in the immune system, making them less effective for adults.
Live attenuated viruses have shown promise in other areas of vaccination, such as measles, mumps, and rubella. However, these vaccines can't be taken by everyone due to concerns over weakened viruses being risky for people with compromised immunity.
The German team is eagerly awaiting results from another nasal vaccine being developed by Codagenix, which uses a similar approach but has not yet been tested in humans.
This approach is promising because it aims to boost mucosal immunity, which targets the tissues that line the upper respiratory tract where the virus enters the body. Researchers hope this vaccine can prevent infections before they even occur and reduce the spread of Covid-19.
The nasal vaccine takes a new approach by manipulating the genetic material in the virus to make it harder for cells to translate. This technique, called codon pair deoptimization, is similar to how some flu vaccines are developed.
In hamster studies, the vaccine performed better than other Covid-19 vaccines, including an mRNA-based vaccine and one that uses adenovirus to deliver the instructions into cells. The researchers believe this live but weakened vaccine worked well because it closely mimics a natural infection.
However, caution is warranted, as the vaccine still needs to pass more tests before it's ready for human use. Other nasal vaccines are also in development, with several already reaching late-stage testing in humans.
Despite progress being made, researchers say that developing a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity and is long-lived remains a priority. The current vaccines may boost what's already present in the immune system, making them less effective for adults.
Live attenuated viruses have shown promise in other areas of vaccination, such as measles, mumps, and rubella. However, these vaccines can't be taken by everyone due to concerns over weakened viruses being risky for people with compromised immunity.
The German team is eagerly awaiting results from another nasal vaccine being developed by Codagenix, which uses a similar approach but has not yet been tested in humans.
I feel so relieved when I hear about new vaccine options like this one... it's amazing that scientists are working tirelessly to find solutions 
. I can only imagine how scary Covid-19 must've been for all those who got infected 
. I hope that this nasal vaccine could be a game-changer and help prevent future outbreaks 
. It's so important that researchers keep pushing forward with new ideas and technologies 
... we need all the progress we can get right now 
.
A nasal vaccine that can shut down Covid-19 infections before they even start? 
That's like, totally game-changing for public health! 
The fact that it targets mucosal immunity and uses a weakened but live coronavirus to boost the immune system is genius. 
I mean, who wouldn't want to prevent infections from happening in the first place? 
And it's also nice to see progress being made on this front - it's like we're finally getting some serious vaccine innovation going on! 
#NasalVaccine #Covid19Solutions #ImmunologyBreakthroughs
. A nasal vaccine that can effectively shut down Covid-19 infections sounds like a game-changer 
.
. The fact that there are already other nasal vaccines in development is great news 
. I think we're on the cusp of something big here 
.
. We need more testing and data before we can consider this vaccine a reality 
. Let's keep an eye on these developments and see where they lead us 
!
. This could be the game-changer we need 
. No more messing around with complicated tech 
. It's all about getting back to basics and letting our immune systems do their thing 
. We need to see these results in humans before we start celebrating 
.
. Fingers crossed it'll make it to market soon and help us move beyond this pandemic phase 
.
It's all about boosting mucosal immunity, which targets the upper respiratory tract where Covid-19 enters the body. The fact that it's using a weakened but live coronavirus is pretty genius, as it mimics a natural infection and works better than other vaccines. 
But yeah, we gotta wait for more tests before this can be used in humans... safety first! 
I'm all for trying new approaches and I love how this one aims to boost mucosal immunity. It makes total sense that a live but weakened virus would work better than some of those other vaccines. Plus, the fact that it's not just about boosting what's already there in our immune system is a huge bonus. 
And what if it doesn't work on humans the way it did in hamsters? We can't just assume it'll be effective because it was successful in animal tests, right? 
! A nasal vaccine that can shut down Covid-19 infections? That's like, science fantasy come true! 
I'm all about boosting mucosal immunity and preventing those pesky virus infections from taking hold. The fact that it mimics a natural infection and works better than other vaccines is super promising 
that they'd be able to stop the spread of it. But you know what's even more exciting? The idea of having a nasal vaccine that can basically shut down infections before they even start! 
. And if it's going to take off and become available for humans, I'll definitely be the first in line for a dose! 
. I know it's still in the early stages, but this could be game-changing for people who are immunocompromised or at high risk of severe illness. Fingers crossed that it'll get approved soon and we can finally see some real progress against Covid 
... it's a promising approach to boost mucosal immunity and prevent Covid-19 infections before they even happen 
. The idea of manipulating the genetic material in the virus to make it harder for cells to translate sounds legit 
... we still need a pan-coronavirus vaccine that's long-lived and effective against all types of Covid-19 variants 
.