Scientists from the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and Caltech have developed a new vaccine technology that protects against a wide range of coronaviruses in mice. This approach, known as “proactive vaccinology,” involves creating a vaccine before the pathogen causing the disease emerges. The vaccine trains the immune system to recognize specific regions of eight different coronaviruses, including those currently circulating and those that may jump to humans in the future. By targeting shared regions between many coronaviruses, the vaccine offers protection against multiple strains, even those not included in the vaccine itself.
The research team’s findings were published in Nature Nanotechnology and showcase a new “Quartet Nanocage” vaccine based on nanoparticle technology that binds viral antigens, training the immune system to target shared regions of coronaviruses. This design simplifies the vaccine development process and may lead to its quicker transition to clinical trials. Furthermore, this underlying technology has potential applications for other health problems’ vaccine development.
Compared to previous work on broadly protective vaccines against coronaviruses, this new vaccine offers a simpler design and better efficiency. While a vaccine from Oxford and Caltech is set to enter clinical trials in early 2025, its complex nature may pose challenges for large-scale production. Overall, proactive vaccinology shows promise in preparing for future outbreaks and potentially preventing unknown coronaviruses from causing pandemics.