Scientists in Germany say they've made a breakthrough in creating a nasal vaccine that can stop the Covid-19 virus from multiplying in the nose and throat, where it first infects people.
The vaccine uses a weakened form of the coronavirus and has been shown to be effective in hamster studies, achieving "sterilizing immunity" - a long-sought goal of the pandemic. Two doses of the vaccine blocked the virus's ability to copy itself in the animals' upper airways, preventing illness.
While this vaccine still needs to pass more tests before it can be used, other nasal vaccines are being developed and have already been tested in humans or are nearing completion of clinical trials. China and India have also rolled out vaccines that use a similar approach, although their effectiveness is still unknown.
Covid-19 has become manageable for most healthy people, but it poses a risk to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Researchers hope that new Covid-19 vaccines can prevent infections before they become severe and spread.
One way scientists are trying to do this is by boosting mucosal immunity in the upper airways, where the virus enters the body. This approach has been studied since the 1870s, but it has been difficult to perfect.
A new nasal vaccine uses a technique called codon pair deoptimization to weaken the coronavirus's genetic material. This makes it harder for cells to translate and allows the immune system to recognize and fight it off without making people sick.
The vaccine was tested in hamsters and showed promising results, achieving better immunity than other vaccines that use different approaches. However, experts say caution is needed before this vaccine can be widely used.
More nasal vaccines are being developed, including ones that use recombinant technology or live attenuated viruses. While these approaches have shown promise, they also have limitations, such as the fact that live vaccines may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with compromised immunity.
Researchers are working on testing this vaccine in humans and hope to start phase I clinical trials soon. If successful, it could provide a new tool in the fight against Covid-19.
The vaccine uses a weakened form of the coronavirus and has been shown to be effective in hamster studies, achieving "sterilizing immunity" - a long-sought goal of the pandemic. Two doses of the vaccine blocked the virus's ability to copy itself in the animals' upper airways, preventing illness.
While this vaccine still needs to pass more tests before it can be used, other nasal vaccines are being developed and have already been tested in humans or are nearing completion of clinical trials. China and India have also rolled out vaccines that use a similar approach, although their effectiveness is still unknown.
Covid-19 has become manageable for most healthy people, but it poses a risk to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Researchers hope that new Covid-19 vaccines can prevent infections before they become severe and spread.
One way scientists are trying to do this is by boosting mucosal immunity in the upper airways, where the virus enters the body. This approach has been studied since the 1870s, but it has been difficult to perfect.
A new nasal vaccine uses a technique called codon pair deoptimization to weaken the coronavirus's genetic material. This makes it harder for cells to translate and allows the immune system to recognize and fight it off without making people sick.
The vaccine was tested in hamsters and showed promising results, achieving better immunity than other vaccines that use different approaches. However, experts say caution is needed before this vaccine can be widely used.
More nasal vaccines are being developed, including ones that use recombinant technology or live attenuated viruses. While these approaches have shown promise, they also have limitations, such as the fact that live vaccines may not be suitable for everyone, particularly those with compromised immunity.
Researchers are working on testing this vaccine in humans and hope to start phase I clinical trials soon. If successful, it could provide a new tool in the fight against Covid-19.
just hope this nasal vaccine makes its way to people who really need it - elderly folks & those with weakened immune systems... can't stress enough how important it is to protect them from severe cases 
I'm so stoked about this nasal vaccine breakthrough! 
It's been like 2 years since we got vaccinated and now we have a potential game-changer to stop Covid from multiplying in our noses 
. The fact that it's been shown to be effective in hamster studies is already a huge win 
. I'm all about prevention, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly and immunocompromised folks 
! Like, scientists have been trying to crack the code of boosting mucosal immunity for ages 
, and now they've finally made some serious progress 
. I mean, it's still early days and all, but the fact that a weakened form of the coronavirus can actually stop the virus from multiplying in the nose and throat is MIND-BLOWING 
! And the best part? It only took hamster studies to get this far 
... priorities, right? 
! The idea of stopping the Covid-19 virus from multiplying in our nose and throat is genius 
.
. More nasal vaccines being developed is a great sign that researchers are working hard to find new solutions 
!
. I mean, we're all good now that it's become manageable, but what about those who can't fight off infections? 
Let's hope they get it tested in humans soon and make this a reality 
I mean, have they even tested this on people who are at high risk of getting infected? Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. It's one thing to stop the virus from multiplying in the nose and throat, but what about when it spreads to other parts of the body? 
Can we really trust these new vaccines to do their job? I'm not convinced... 