SYDNEY, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have developed a nasally delivered subunit vaccine that has the potential to enhance protection against COVID-19 infection and minimize viral spread.
The research team from the University of Sydney and the Centenary Institute reported the pre-clinical testing of their newly-developed nasal vaccine in a study published in the Nature Communications journal.
According to the study, the subunit vaccine, which combines SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and an adjuvant Pam2Cys, could induce substantial neutralizing antibodies against the virus in mice, with increased T-cell responses in the lungs and airways.
"Current vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 substantially reduce mortality and severe disease, but protection against infection is less effective. Vaccinated individuals are still catching COVID-19 and can spread the infection, so breakthrough infections are still occurring," said Anneliese Ashhurst, lead author and research fellow at the University of Sydney and the Centenary Institute.
"Our vaccine differs from most current COVID-19 vaccines in that it enables generation of an immune response directly in those areas of the body that are likely to be the first point of contact for the virus, the nose, airway and lungs," she noted.
Ashhurst told Xinhua on Friday that they tested delivery of the vaccine by injection or nasally.
"While both routes were effective, nasal delivery substantially improved immune responses locally in the nose, airways and lungs. We achieved complete protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection," said the expert.
The study also noted that the adapted versions of this new nasal vaccine could also be potentially applied to other viral or bacterial respiratory diseases, such as influenza, avian flu, SARS, and MERS. ■
