New Nasal Vaccine Shows Early Promise in Fighting Covid-19 Infections
Scientists at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany, have successfully developed a nasal vaccine that can effectively combat Covid-19 infections. The vaccine uses a live but weakened form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to trigger an immune response, achieving "sterilizing immunity" and preventing illness.
In experiments involving hamsters, two doses of the vaccine blocked the virus from copying itself in the animals' upper airways, demonstrating that it can effectively shut down Covid-19 infections at their earliest stage. The researchers believe that this approach could provide a crucial layer of protection against the highly contagious and adaptable SARS-CoV-2 virus.
While there are currently several nasal vaccines in various stages of clinical trials, the German vaccine has shown promising results in animal studies, surpassing two other competing vaccines in terms of immune response. Researchers think that the live weakened vaccine probably worked better because it closely mimics the process of a natural infection.
The new vaccine previews the entire coronavirus for the body, not just its spike proteins like current Covid-19 vaccines do, allowing hamsters to make immune weapons against a wider range of targets. However, experts caution that the vaccine still needs to pass further tests before it can be used in humans and that another Omicron-level shift in the virus evolution could render it ineffective.
The study began in 2021, before the emergence of the Omicron variant, so the vaccine tested was made with the original strain. When infected animals were exposed to Omicron, the live weakened nasal vaccine still performed better than the others, but its ability to neutralize the virus was diminished. Researchers are now working on an update and plan to start phase I clinical trials.
Other nasal vaccines for Covid-19 have reached late-stage testing in humans, while several other candidates are nearing completion of their human studies. However, respiratory infections have proved to be tough targets for inhaled vaccines, making it essential to carefully consider the risks and benefits of live attenuated viruses.
The use of live attenuated viruses has been successful in developing vaccines against diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella, but these vaccines cannot be taken by everyone due to potential risks. Researchers must ensure that the new Covid-19 vaccine is safe for all populations, including those with compromised immunity.
Scientists at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany, have successfully developed a nasal vaccine that can effectively combat Covid-19 infections. The vaccine uses a live but weakened form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to trigger an immune response, achieving "sterilizing immunity" and preventing illness.
In experiments involving hamsters, two doses of the vaccine blocked the virus from copying itself in the animals' upper airways, demonstrating that it can effectively shut down Covid-19 infections at their earliest stage. The researchers believe that this approach could provide a crucial layer of protection against the highly contagious and adaptable SARS-CoV-2 virus.
While there are currently several nasal vaccines in various stages of clinical trials, the German vaccine has shown promising results in animal studies, surpassing two other competing vaccines in terms of immune response. Researchers think that the live weakened vaccine probably worked better because it closely mimics the process of a natural infection.
The new vaccine previews the entire coronavirus for the body, not just its spike proteins like current Covid-19 vaccines do, allowing hamsters to make immune weapons against a wider range of targets. However, experts caution that the vaccine still needs to pass further tests before it can be used in humans and that another Omicron-level shift in the virus evolution could render it ineffective.
The study began in 2021, before the emergence of the Omicron variant, so the vaccine tested was made with the original strain. When infected animals were exposed to Omicron, the live weakened nasal vaccine still performed better than the others, but its ability to neutralize the virus was diminished. Researchers are now working on an update and plan to start phase I clinical trials.
Other nasal vaccines for Covid-19 have reached late-stage testing in humans, while several other candidates are nearing completion of their human studies. However, respiratory infections have proved to be tough targets for inhaled vaccines, making it essential to carefully consider the risks and benefits of live attenuated viruses.
The use of live attenuated viruses has been successful in developing vaccines against diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella, but these vaccines cannot be taken by everyone due to potential risks. Researchers must ensure that the new Covid-19 vaccine is safe for all populations, including those with compromised immunity.
"The greatest danger to our future lies in delay." 
We've been waiting for a game-changing Covid-19 vaccine for so long now, and one that shows early promise like this nasal vaccine would be a huge relief for everyone. But let's not get ahead of ourselves – we need to see more testing in humans before it can be considered safe and effective for real-world use 
I mean, it's great and all that, but have you considered the risks? I remember back in my day, we used to worry about flu shots giving us pneumonia or something 
. And don't even get me started on those Covid-19 vaccines – too many side effects for my liking.
. The idea of having a vaccine that can target the whole coronavirus instead of just the spike proteins sounds like a game-changer 
. And who knows, maybe it's the future of vaccination 
.
.
. Fingers crossed it works out! 
. While the results from animal studies look promising, we need to see how it performs in human trials before getting all excited 
. And what about that Omicron variant? We already know it can throw a wrench into vaccine effectiveness 
... still, I'm intrigued by the idea of targeting a wider range of targets 
. Maybe this is the next big thing 
, but I'll be watching from the sidelines with a healthy dose of skepticism 
. Can't wait to see more updates 
!
just saw this news about the new nasal Covid-19 vaccine that's got me SO hyped! 
it's like a game-changer because it uses a LIVE but weakened form of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to trigger an immune response which means it can actually STOP the virus from copying itself in our upper airways 
and I'm all about that sterilizing immunity life 
! 
experts are saying that this vaccine still needs to pass further tests before we can use it in humans and another Omicron-level shift could render it ineffective 
and I love that researchers are working on an update and planning phase I clinical trials 
. Can't wait to see how this one plays out! 
. Plus, have you seen the number of nasal vaccines currently in clinical trials? It's like a vaccine party over there 
.
. Of course, there are still some concerns about Omicron-level shifts in the virus evolution, but I'm sure the researchers will get to work on an update ASAP. Let's just hope it makes it to humans without any major issues 
... this new nasal vaccine sounds like it could be the real deal 
. I mean, it's not just about blocking one part of the virus, but actually previewing the whole thing for your body 
. That's some serious science going on here 
.
.
... can't wait to hear more about its progress 
. I mean, who needs a little needle-induced trauma when you can just snort something up your nose? Sounds like the hamsters were super excited about it too... in a lab 
. Seriously though, it's great that researchers are exploring new approaches, but we'll have to wait and see how it plays out in humans. And yeah, Omicron is no joke, so fingers crossed they can update this thing quickly 
.
! The fact that it can shut down Covid-19 infections at their earliest stage is a huge step forward in our fight against this pandemic. I'm also loving the idea of a vaccine that previews the entire coronavirus for the body, not just its spike proteins 
. Of course, we need more testing before it can be used in humans, but let's keep our fingers crossed that this one is a game-changer 
sounds promising i guess, we'll just have to wait and see if it actually works in humans... been there, done that with covid vaccines and how they turned out 
and don't even get me started on omicron... it's like the virus is always one step ahead 
still, at least they're trying different approaches this time around, hope it's not all just hype 
I mean, we've been waiting for a vaccine that can tackle the SARS-CoV-2 virus head-on and it sounds like this one could be a game-changer 
but I'd love to see more data before we start getting our hopes up too high 
what if the Omicron variant throws us for a loop again? 
I know there's still a lot of uncertainty around this new vaccine but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. The idea that it could give people a better chance at not getting sick is just amazing to me. And I love how the scientists are thinking outside the box with this approach, instead of just targeting the spike proteins like everyone else. Fingers crossed it all works out and we can finally feel safe again 
. Also, kinda surprised that the researchers are already working on an update for omicron - fingers crossed it holds up! 
I mean, who needs a needle shot when you can just sniff out the bad guys and let your body do the rest?
But hey, researchers are already working on that update, so fingers crossed!