Nasal vaccine to prevent all kinds of flu on the horizon

A pioneering research from the University of Adelaide Research claims it is a step closer to the universal flu vaccine that can be dropped or squirted into the nose.

Darren Miller, who carried out the research along with his colleagues, led the synthetic flu vaccine trials successfully in mice.

Elaborating on the study, he said, "Current flu vaccines depend on being able to predict the forthcoming viral strain, and reformulate each year. This is time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive, and it’s something a universal vaccine could overcome.”

The research
The researchers delivered specific peptides into the nose of the mice. The peptides trigger an immune response to a tiny region of the flu virus that is present in all influenza A and B strains. The immune response effectively neutralizes the virus.

The test vaccine provided mice with 100 percent protection against a lab strain of the virus H3N2 and 20 percent protection against the H5N1, commonly known as bird flu.

The research results were consistent with the protection levels achieved with available anti-influenza medications.

A nasal spray would offer advantage over jabs, which is a non-invasive delivery, and also calm people who freak out at the sight of needles.

Emphasizing the value of synthetic universal vaccine, Miller said, "A simple and totally synthetic universal vaccine, one that is not derived from an influenza virus and does not require annual reformulation, would have clear advantages in health clinics to control and prevent the spread of flu."

The trials involving people are yet to take place. If it succeeds, as researchers hope, it will eliminate the necessity of people getting revaccinated every year.

The findings have been published in the 'Journal of General Virology.'