Researchers in Germany have successfully created a nasal vaccine that can stop Covid-19 from taking hold in the nose and throat, where it initially infects the body. In hamster studies, two doses of the weakened live virus vaccine showed "sterilizing immunity" and prevented illness. The researchers believe their approach may be more effective than current vaccines.
The new vaccine targets mucosal immunity, boosting the immune system's defenses in the tissues lining the upper airways. This is a key area where the virus enters the body. The idea is to create a firewall that prevents the virus from spreading and causing infection.
A similar concept has been used in other diseases, such as measles, mumps and rubella, where live attenuated viruses are used to stimulate an immune response. However, there are concerns about the safety of these vaccines for people with weakened immunity.
The German team's vaccine is made by manipulating the genetic material of the virus to make it harder for cells to translate, effectively rendering it harmless while still allowing the immune system to recognize and fight it off. This approach has been around since the 1870s and has shown promise in treating diseases such as anthrax and rabies.
The researchers tested their vaccine in hamsters before moving on to more complex trials, including those with other variants of the Covid-19 virus. While further testing is needed, the results are encouraging, with two doses showing significantly better immunity than mRNA-based vaccines or one that uses an adenovirus to deliver the instructions to cells.
Other nasal vaccines are already in use or nearing completion in clinical trials, but they rely on adenoviruses to ferry their instructions into cells. It's unclear how effective these will be.
A total of four nasal vaccines for Covid-19 are currently undergoing late-stage testing, according to the World Health Organization. Two other nasal vaccines, one produced cheaply using chicken eggs and another developed by Codagenix, are also in human trials.
The new vaccine targets mucosal immunity, boosting the immune system's defenses in the tissues lining the upper airways. This is a key area where the virus enters the body. The idea is to create a firewall that prevents the virus from spreading and causing infection.
A similar concept has been used in other diseases, such as measles, mumps and rubella, where live attenuated viruses are used to stimulate an immune response. However, there are concerns about the safety of these vaccines for people with weakened immunity.
The German team's vaccine is made by manipulating the genetic material of the virus to make it harder for cells to translate, effectively rendering it harmless while still allowing the immune system to recognize and fight it off. This approach has been around since the 1870s and has shown promise in treating diseases such as anthrax and rabies.
The researchers tested their vaccine in hamsters before moving on to more complex trials, including those with other variants of the Covid-19 virus. While further testing is needed, the results are encouraging, with two doses showing significantly better immunity than mRNA-based vaccines or one that uses an adenovirus to deliver the instructions to cells.
Other nasal vaccines are already in use or nearing completion in clinical trials, but they rely on adenoviruses to ferry their instructions into cells. It's unclear how effective these will be.
A total of four nasal vaccines for Covid-19 are currently undergoing late-stage testing, according to the World Health Organization. Two other nasal vaccines, one produced cheaply using chicken eggs and another developed by Codagenix, are also in human trials.
I mean think about it if we can actually prevent Covid from taking hold in our noses that means less strain on the lungs and all that jazz. And they're saying it might be more effective than current vaccines which is no surprise to me tbh. I've had friends who got vaccinated with one of those mRNA-based vaccines and they still ended up getting infected. This sounds like a whole new level of protection 
I'm not convinced about this new nasal vaccine yet... I mean, it's great that they've had promising results with hamsters, but what about humans? We're way more complex than furry little critters 
. And what's the deal with the safety concerns for people with weakened immunity? It just seems like another untested vaccine to me 
. I'm all for innovation and trying new things, but we gotta make sure it's safe and effective for real people before we start handing out shots left and right 
.
! I mean, we've been waiting for a game-changer like this for ages, and it sounds like researchers in Germany have finally found one. The fact that two doses of the weakened live virus vaccine showed "sterilizing immunity" is massive 
- it's like they've cracked the code to preventing Covid-19 from taking hold in the first place.
, especially since they're targeting mucosal immunity. It's like a firewall against the virus, preventing it from spreading and causing infection 
!
. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for further testing and hopefully soon enough, these nasal vaccines will be available to the public 
. It's gonna be a wild ride!
. I mean, Covid's been around for so long now we need something that can really stop it from spreading in the first place. The idea of creating a firewall in our noses is genius 
I'm curious to know more about how it works and if it's really better than what we have now 
From what I've read, it sounds like they're targeting the right area where the virus enters the body, but are there any plans for mass production yet? 
Also, how will this vaccine be distributed compared to the current ones? 
. And if it's proven more effective than current vaccines, that's a huge win in my book 
. I'm curious to see how this plays out with human trials and whether it'll become the next big thing in vaccine tech 
.
! I remember when my grandma had measles as a kid and she was literally running around like crazy before they got the mumps & rubella vaccines 
. I'm all for trying new things if it means we can stay safe without having to deal with long-term side effects 
. Although, I do worry about those who are immunocompromised - can't imagine how scary that must be 
. Anyways, fingers crossed this one makes the cut and becomes a reality soon 
!
. And let's not forget that there are still four nasal vaccines currently undergoing late-stage testing, so there's plenty of hope on the horizon.
. The fact that it's being tested now is a big deal! And let's be real, who doesn't want a solution that might actually work better than the current ones 
. I mean, remember those masks everyone had to wear all the time? It's crazy to think about now that we've got this new nasal vaccine that can actually stop the virus from taking hold 
. Two doses and it's like a firewall for your nose! I'm no scientist, but if it's been tested on hamsters (and other animals) and it's showing promising results, I say bring it on 
It's like they're creating a force field around our airways to keep the virus from spreading 
. And using weakened live viruses is nothing new - it's been done for other diseases too, like measles and mumps 
. Still, these researchers are onto something, so fingers crossed it all works out 
. And let's be real, if this thing can show sterilizing immunity in hamster studies, that's gotta count for something 
.
! Creating a vaccine that can stop Covid-19 from taking hold in the first place is a total game-changer 
. It's crazy how something as simple as a nasal spray could be so effective 
. Of course, safety concerns are always valid, but I think the benefits far outweigh them 
. And it's not like they're using some crazy new tech, it's been around since the 1800s 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good old-fashioned vaccine approach? 
. I'm curious to see how this one stacks up against other nasal vaccines in the pipeline 
. Can we get some real-world results soon? 
#NasalVaccineRevolution #Covid19Breakthrough
. On one hand, the fact that it's showing promising results in hamster studies is super encouraging 
, but on the other hand, we still need to see how effective it'll be in humans before we can breathe a sigh of relief 
. And let's not forget about all the nasal vaccines already in use or testing... with varying degrees of success 
. It's like we're playing whack-a-mole with Covid-19, trying to fill every gap with another vaccine 
