Scientists closer to turning long-lasting, effective flu vaccine into reality

Scientists have made a critical progress in developing a long-lasting flu vaccine which would end the need for regular, seasonal flu shots. In their study, the researchers targeted one protein that is found in all subtypes of different flu viruses, called hemagglutinin (HA). This protein on the surface provides the virus entrance to different cells. Scientists zeroed in on HA stem region, which connects different viruses to cells and said that if the body is able to produce an immune response to fight against that HA stem, it would be difficult for it to escape. The study, funded by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, has their researchers working with researchers from Scripps Research Institute in developing this vaccine. Researcher Ian Wilson of The Scripps Research Institute said that this study showed that they were making outstanding progress in developing a universal flu vaccine.

They studied the response of rodents, ferrets and non-human primates given one of several candidate immunogens and discovered that animals given one very stable immunogen made antibodies that could bind with HAs in many influenza subtypes, even neutralizing avian flu or “bird flu” (H5N1) and swine flu (H1N1) strains. Wilson said that future research would test the effectiveness of the immunogen on humans as findings in animal research do not automatically translate to success with humans. The vaccines must undergo several tests before they can be applied to humans. The ultimate goal would be to produce a life-long flu vaccine.

Developing a vaccine for flu is especially hard since the virus mutates into more strains year after year. At the current time, scientists have to formulate a new vaccine annually by estimating different flu strains and predicting which strain of the flu will be affecting the population the most in the upcoming flu season. The makeup of the vaccine is determined months in advance of the season to allow manufacturers sufficient time to manufacture millions of doses that are required. This latest research was innovative in its focus on the stable influenza virus’ “stem” rather than its mutating “head” which changes yearly.

It has been calculated that the number of flu associated deaths in the US is somewhere between 21,000 and 67,000 people over a period of four decades, between 1975 and 2012. Seasonal flu is the cause of over 200,000 admissions to hospitals and over 36,000 deaths, in the country every year, says the data provided by the Center for Disease Control. Sarah Gilbert, professor of Vaccinology at the University of Oxford commented that the human clinical trials will take many years. Nonetheless, she described the findings of the study, published in the Journal Science and Nature Medicine, as “exciting.”