American researchers have developed an experimental messenger RNA vaccine that has proven effective against the avian flu virus in animal models.
- “MRNA technology allows us to be much more agile in vaccine development: we can start creating an mRNA vaccine within hours of sequencing a new virus strain with pandemic potential,” according to researchers .
- They developed an mRNA vaccine targeting a specific subtype of the H5N1 virus that circulates widely in birds and cattle. This proved to be “just as effective as the conventional vaccine”.
- Vaccinated animals that were subsequently infected with H5N1 cleared the virus more quickly and had fewer symptoms than unvaccinated controls.
An experimental messenger RNA (or mRNA) vaccine that targets the H5N1 avian influenza virus and could prevent human infections. This is what a team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in the United States, claims to have developed, while an epidemic of avian flu is currently hitting the country’s birds and cattle. The work was published in the journal Nature Communications.
mRNA vaccines easier to develop than conventional vaccines
“In previous flu pandemics, such as H1N1 in 2009, vaccines were difficult to manufacture, explain the scientists in a communicated. Most flu vaccines are egg-based: experts inject chicken eggs fertilized with what they predict is the dominant virus strain, let it replicate, then inactivate the virus for use in flu vaccines. flu.” But before these conventional vaccines can be designed, the viruses must first be modified, which can take up to six months. A delay which can pose a problem when it comes to containing a pandemic…
“But mRNA technology allows us to be much more agile in vaccine design: we can start creating an mRNA vaccine within hours of sequencing a new viral strain with pandemic potential.” And for good reason, mRNA vaccines are easily and quickly adapted to protect against different strains of influenza viruses, and do not require eggs for their development.
An effective mRNA vaccine against H5N1 avian flu
The team of researchers therefore developed an mRNA vaccine targeting a specific subtype of the H5N1 virus which circulates widely in birds and cattle. The vaccine in question, “just as effective as the traditional egg-based vaccine”helped trigger a strong immune response in the mice and ferrets studied. “The animals retained high levels of antibodies even a year after vaccination,” she specifies.
Additionally, the scientists found that vaccinated animals that were subsequently infected with H5N1 cleared the virus more quickly and had fewer symptoms than unvaccinated controls. They also note that all vaccinated animals survived H5N1 infection, while all unvaccinated animals died.