Scientists in Germany claim to have developed a nasal vaccine that successfully shuts down Covid-19 infections in the nose and throat. In hamster experiments, two doses of the weakened but live coronavirus created "sterilizing immunity" and prevented illness, achieving what has been a long-sought goal during the pandemic.
The new approach mimics the natural process of infection and closely resembles how the human immune system fights off viruses. Unlike current vaccines that focus on just the spike proteins, this nasal vaccine previews the entire virus for the body to recognize and respond to.
Trials in hamsters have shown promising results, with the vaccine outperforming mRNA-based and adenovirus-facilitated alternatives in creating an effective immune response. Researchers believe that boosting mucosal immunity by enhancing defenses in upper airways may be crucial in preventing Covid-19 infections.
The study began in 2021, before the Omicron variant emerged, so the initial vaccine was designed with the original strain of coronavirus. However, it still performed better against the newer variant than its competitors. Further human trials are necessary to confirm these findings and to assess the vaccine's efficacy.
At least four nasal vaccines for Covid-19 have reached late-stage testing in humans, according to the World Health Organization's tracker. While some may be nearing completion, others face challenges, such as high production costs and skepticism from experts about their effectiveness.
Developing a vaccine that induces mucosal immunity – boosting defenses in upper airways where the virus enters the body – could prove crucial in preventing future Covid-19 outbreaks. Scientists like Dr. Emanuel Wyler emphasize the importance of investing in this type of vaccine to combat new variants.
However, nasal vaccines also pose challenges due to their live nature, which means they can only be used by healthy individuals and not those with compromised immunity. "Although it's strongly attenuated, it's still a real virus," Dr. Wyler said.
The potential for a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity has sparked renewed interest in this approach, as researchers continue to explore new strategies to combat the ongoing pandemic.
The new approach mimics the natural process of infection and closely resembles how the human immune system fights off viruses. Unlike current vaccines that focus on just the spike proteins, this nasal vaccine previews the entire virus for the body to recognize and respond to.
Trials in hamsters have shown promising results, with the vaccine outperforming mRNA-based and adenovirus-facilitated alternatives in creating an effective immune response. Researchers believe that boosting mucosal immunity by enhancing defenses in upper airways may be crucial in preventing Covid-19 infections.
The study began in 2021, before the Omicron variant emerged, so the initial vaccine was designed with the original strain of coronavirus. However, it still performed better against the newer variant than its competitors. Further human trials are necessary to confirm these findings and to assess the vaccine's efficacy.
At least four nasal vaccines for Covid-19 have reached late-stage testing in humans, according to the World Health Organization's tracker. While some may be nearing completion, others face challenges, such as high production costs and skepticism from experts about their effectiveness.
Developing a vaccine that induces mucosal immunity – boosting defenses in upper airways where the virus enters the body – could prove crucial in preventing future Covid-19 outbreaks. Scientists like Dr. Emanuel Wyler emphasize the importance of investing in this type of vaccine to combat new variants.
However, nasal vaccines also pose challenges due to their live nature, which means they can only be used by healthy individuals and not those with compromised immunity. "Although it's strongly attenuated, it's still a real virus," Dr. Wyler said.
The potential for a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity has sparked renewed interest in this approach, as researchers continue to explore new strategies to combat the ongoing pandemic.
"Believe you can and you're halfway there." ~ Theodore Roosevelt 
I'm so hyped about this new nasal vaccine! It's like a game-changer for Covid-19 infections 
The idea of boosting mucosal immunity is genius, it's like our immune system has its own superhero cape 
Can't wait to see the human trials and hopefully get rid of this pesky virus soon 
I'm kinda hyped about this nasal vaccine, but also super cautious 
. If it works out, it could be a game-changer for future outbreaks. I mean, having mucosal immunity would totally boost our chances of preventing Covid-19 from taking hold in the first place. But, on the other hand, there's that whole 'live virus' thing to consider... what if someone with a compromised immune system freaks out on it? 
That's just not worth the risk for me.
Four nasal vaccines in late-stage testing? That's still a lot of work ahead, but at least we're moving in the right direction. The World Health Organization's tracking is a good sign that they're keeping an eye on this. Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly and we get a vaccine that actually works for real people 
.
, if we can develop a nasal vaccine that actually works, like they did with these hamsters, we might be able to prevent Covid-19 from taking hold in our bodies in the first place 
! and just imagine not having to worry about getting vaccinated every year or dealing with all those side effects 
. it's a game changer for sure...
But yeah, its also kinda scary that there are still challenges with high production costs and skeptics about their effectiveness.
. I'm also thinking, what if this "sterilizing immunity" thing doesn't hold up in humans? 
Those hamster results are promising, but we need to see the same results in humans before we get our hopes up.
I mean, think about it, our immune system is way more powerful than we give it credit for. It's like, we've been trying to outsmart the virus with traditional vaccines that only focus on specific parts of the virus... but this one takes a holistic approach, like, "Hey, you know what? Just show us the whole shebang" 
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. That would be amazing!
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. Like, what if people don't get vaccinated because they're worried about the live virus? That's not gonna help 
. And have you seen those mRNA-based and adenovirus-facilitated vaccines? Still pretty sketchy in my book 
. So yeah, let's keep exploring all our options but also make sure we're thinking about the practicalities here 
.
also what's up with the name "sterilizing immunity" sounds kinda weird to me, is that like a real medical term now? 
especially if they can prevent future outbreaks
This nasal vaccine sounds like a total game-changer - it's not just about targeting one part of the virus but actually mimicking how our bodies fight off infections. It's like, our immune system is going to be all 'Hey, I know you're over there and I'm ready for ya!' 
. The fact that it outperformed other alternatives in hamster trials gives me confidence in its effectiveness 
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. And what about the new variants? The study was done before Omicron emerged, so we'll need to see how it holds up against newer strains 
. And in terms of global distribution, 74% of countries have received COVID-19 vaccines, which is still a long way to go 
.
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I'm not even kidding, if they can make something that actually shuts down Covid-19 in the nose and throat, that would be a game changer. It's also interesting how it mimics the natural process of infection, that's like, so clever 
And it outperformed other vaccines, which is like, wow! 
And yeah, I know Dr. Wyler said something about it being a "real virus" even if it's weakened, but come on, don't be a hater 
. It's still way safer than some of those other vaccine options out there 
. Can we please just get this over with already and see some real progress? 
It's all about finding solutions to our problems, and this is a major step in that direction. Fingers crossed it'll make it into human trials soon!