British scientists are working on developing a new global vaccine that could be a game-changer in the fight against epidemics, as it aims to provide broad protection against entire families of viruses.
The vaccine, which scientists describe as the first of its kind, relies on artificial intelligence to identify the most stable parts of viruses—parts that are less likely to mutate or change over time. Scientists hope this approach will overcome one of the biggest problems with traditional vaccines: their declining effectiveness as new mutations emerge, requiring constant updates.
The research team from the Universities of Cambridge and Southampton developed the vaccine by analyzing massive databases containing globally known genetic sequences and viral mutations. Using artificial intelligence, they were able to identify what is known as a "superantigen," a crucial component that viruses need to survive and persist, making it a suitable target for generating a long-lasting immune response.
Professor Saul Fawcett, a leading scientist at the University of Southampton, said that viruses such as influenza, coronaviruses, and Ebola are constantly evolving, making it difficult for current vaccines to keep pace with these changes. He added that the next generation of universal vaccines is designed to address the future by providing protection against multiple strains simultaneously, and even against related viruses that have not yet emerged or been transmitted to humans.
He explained that the success of this type of vaccine could contribute to saving millions of lives and reducing the need for the widespread lockdown measures that the world witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project is based on lessons learned from that pandemic, which broke out after the SARS-CoV-2 virus jumped from bats to humans, while previously developed vaccines against SARS were unable to prevent the new virus.
Professor Jonathan Heeney of the Laboratory of Viral Zoonoses at Cambridge University said that the goal is no longer to develop a vaccine for each virus individually, but to produce vaccines that target common characteristics within entire viral families.
He added that scientists are studying thousands of viral genetic sequences to find the constant elements necessary for their survival, and then directing vaccines towards these elements that are difficult for viruses to change or do without.
As part of clinical trials, the Sarbeco universal coronavirus vaccine, developed in collaboration with the biotechnology company Diocinfax, was tested on 49 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50 in Cambridge and Southampton.
The vaccine was administered using a needle-free microinjection technique that relies on pushing the vaccine's genetic material directly into skin cells by means of a high-pressure stream of fluid.
The results of the first phase of trials showed that the vaccine is safe and stimulated an immune response against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS viruses, as well as a number of bat-related coronaviruses that may be transmitted from animals to humans in the future.
Previous animal studies have also shown the vaccine's ability to generate a strong immune response against a wide range of coronaviruses. Scientists are now preparing to launch phase two clinical trials, which will involve more than 200 volunteers to assess its effectiveness on a larger scale.
Professor Heaney expressed his hope that this technology would open the door to the development of vaccines capable of providing broad protection against thousands of viral strains, including dangerous viruses such as Ebola, stressing that the future of combating epidemics lies in preparing for viruses before they appear, and not just in chasing them after they have spread.
