German Scientists Develop Nasal Covid-19 Vaccine Showing Early Promise
In a breakthrough that could potentially halt the spread of Covid-19, scientists in Germany have successfully developed a nasal vaccine that can shut down the virus's first foothold in the body. The vaccine, made with a live but weakened form of the coronavirus, has shown promising results in hamster studies by blocking the virus from copying itself in the animals' upper airways, achieving "sterilizing immunity" and preventing illness.
The new approach to vaccination involves boosting mucosal immunity, beefing up immune defenses in the tissues that line the upper airways, where the virus would land and begin to infect our cells. This method is being explored as a potential solution to prevent the spread of infection. Researchers are trying to harness this type of immunity, which can provide long-lasting protection against infections.
The vaccine's development is built on an old idea - weakening a virus so it's no longer a threat and then giving it to people so their immune systems can learn to recognize and fight it off. The German team has successfully manipulated the genetic material in the virus to make it harder for cells to translate, effectively hobbling the virus without making the body sick.
In the hamster studies, two doses of the nasal vaccine created a stronger immune response than other types of vaccines used in clinical trials. The researchers believe that this approach could provide better protection against new variants of the virus.
However, experts caution that more tests need to be conducted before the vaccine can be widely used. "They did a very nice job," said Dr. Greg Poland, who designs vaccines at the Mayo Clinic. "Now it just needs to be repeated."
At least four nasal vaccines for Covid-19 have reached late-stage testing in people according to the World Health Organization's vaccine tracker. Other nasal vaccines are nearing completion of human studies, including one developed by a company called Codagenix.
While this development holds promise, researchers are also aware that respiratory infections can be tough targets for inhaled vaccines. FluMist, a live but weakened form of the flu virus, has shown limited effectiveness in adults due to existing immune memory.
The new nasal vaccine is being eagerly watched by scientists, with results from Codagenix's studies expected later this year. "They will be very important in order to know whether this kind of attempt is basically promising or not," said Emanuel Wyler, the study author.
Despite the challenges ahead, researchers remain optimistic that a pan-coronavirus vaccine could provide long-lasting protection against future variants.
In a breakthrough that could potentially halt the spread of Covid-19, scientists in Germany have successfully developed a nasal vaccine that can shut down the virus's first foothold in the body. The vaccine, made with a live but weakened form of the coronavirus, has shown promising results in hamster studies by blocking the virus from copying itself in the animals' upper airways, achieving "sterilizing immunity" and preventing illness.
The new approach to vaccination involves boosting mucosal immunity, beefing up immune defenses in the tissues that line the upper airways, where the virus would land and begin to infect our cells. This method is being explored as a potential solution to prevent the spread of infection. Researchers are trying to harness this type of immunity, which can provide long-lasting protection against infections.
The vaccine's development is built on an old idea - weakening a virus so it's no longer a threat and then giving it to people so their immune systems can learn to recognize and fight it off. The German team has successfully manipulated the genetic material in the virus to make it harder for cells to translate, effectively hobbling the virus without making the body sick.
In the hamster studies, two doses of the nasal vaccine created a stronger immune response than other types of vaccines used in clinical trials. The researchers believe that this approach could provide better protection against new variants of the virus.
However, experts caution that more tests need to be conducted before the vaccine can be widely used. "They did a very nice job," said Dr. Greg Poland, who designs vaccines at the Mayo Clinic. "Now it just needs to be repeated."
At least four nasal vaccines for Covid-19 have reached late-stage testing in people according to the World Health Organization's vaccine tracker. Other nasal vaccines are nearing completion of human studies, including one developed by a company called Codagenix.
While this development holds promise, researchers are also aware that respiratory infections can be tough targets for inhaled vaccines. FluMist, a live but weakened form of the flu virus, has shown limited effectiveness in adults due to existing immune memory.
The new nasal vaccine is being eagerly watched by scientists, with results from Codagenix's studies expected later this year. "They will be very important in order to know whether this kind of attempt is basically promising or not," said Emanuel Wyler, the study author.
Despite the challenges ahead, researchers remain optimistic that a pan-coronavirus vaccine could provide long-lasting protection against future variants.
... I mean, using a weakened virus to boost mucosal immunity in the upper airways seems like a game-changer 
. It’s crazy to think that researchers could potentially develop a vaccine that provides sterilizing immunity and prevents illness altogether. The fact that it outperformed other types of vaccines in hamster studies is a big deal 
.
. It’s like they’re thinking ahead and trying to create a vaccine that can keep up with the virus. Of course, more testing is needed, but I think this is definitely something worth keeping an eye on 
... maybe one day we’ll have a pan-coronavirus vaccine that can give us some much-needed peace of mind 
. But, I mean, we've gotta be careful and see how these hamster studies translate to humans 
. And what about fluMist not working out for adults? That's a bummer 
. Still, researchers are optimistic, which is good news 
. Maybe this nasal vaccine could be the key to halting Covid-19's spread... we'll just have to wait and see 
this is amazing news! a nasal vaccine for covid-19 that actually works 
it's like they're saying 'you know what we need? a superhero for your nose' 
and boosting mucosal immunity is literally the coolest thing ever 
i mean, who would've thought that just by giving people a weakened virus to deal with, they could create a vaccine that actually shuts down the virus in its tracks 
it's like a game-changer for healthcare 
... i mean, who wouldn't want to be able to give themselves a quick shot in the nose instead of having to deal with needles and all that 
. seriously though, this could be the key to preventing infections 
... just hope they can scale it up without messing it up 
it's like totally a game changer! i mean, we've had some promising results in hamster studies and if they can get it to work for humans too that would be amazing 
experts are saying they did a great job but now it's time for more tests
fingers crossed this one works and we can finally say goodbye to covid-19 
. I think it's genius to boost mucosal immunity - our upper airways are literally the first line of defense against viruses 
. Of course, there's still more research needed, but it's like, baby steps in the right direction 
. Let's keep our fingers crossed (and our masks on 
seriously though, it's about time we see some progress on this. The hamster studies are cool and all, but can we get the human trials done without any major issues? 
still, it's nice to have some hope that maybe we'll finally find a solution to this whole Covid-19 thing. 
fingers crossed
but it's definitely a promising start 
. Boosting mucosal immunity is a clever approach, and if it can prevent illness and provide sterilizing immunity, that's a game-changer 
Still, Codagenix's study results later this year will be super important in determining if this is the real deal 
. If it pans out, it could be a huge step forward in combating Covid-19 and its variants 
️]
] Mucosal immunity? More like Mucosal Mishaps 
] Hamster studies: because who needs human trials, right? 
] Sterilizing immunity? Sounds like a science fiction novel to me 
. They're still waiting on more tests but I'm all for it! It's like, a glimmer of hope that we might finally get rid of Covid-19 for good 
that's like "nah, u r not welcome here!" 
. The idea of boosting mucosal immunity is so cool, it's like our bodies have a built-in superpower 
. Just imagine being able to get vaccinated through your nose 
! It's like a superhero cape for your immune system 
! Of course, more tests need to be done 
. this nasal covid-19 vaccine is all about boosting mucosal immunity which is basically making your nose stronger so the virus can't get in