Universal flu vaccine in the works
The dreaded flu can be debilitating and draining, but Swiss researchers claim they have taken an “exciting step forward” in the hunt for a universal influenza vaccine. After trialling the treatment on mice, the researchers allege they have discovered the first human antibody that can knock out all influenza A viruses.
The dreaded flu can be debilitating and draining, but Swiss researchers claim they have taken an “exciting step forward” in the hunt for a universal influenza vaccine.
After trialling the treatment on mice, the researchers allege they have discovered the first human antibody that can knock out all influenza A viruses.
The neutralising antibody, called F16, may be the key in helping to vaccinate people against the flu and could mean scientists may not need to piece together a new cocktail each season to match the often-changing strains.
Published recently in the journal Science, the study’s findings were described as “significant” by lead author, Antonio Lanzavecchia, who said the antibody works, not only by neutralising the virus, but also by recruiting killer cells to the virus-infected cells.
“This suggests that once tested in a human system, the antibodies should work even better,” Mr Lanzavecchia told AFP media.
The antibody was found in plasma cells from a human donor and when given to mice heavily dosed with flu viruses, was able to knock out the illness, offering hope for a remedy in people who become infected with the flu.
The discovery was made by using newly patented technology to screen hundreds of thousands of plasma cells in order to isolate the rare ones that produced the antibody.
“We are convinced this is a very rare specificity but it is a very potent antibody,” Dr Lanzavecchia said.
The antibody was tested in all 16 subtypes of A flu viruses and consistently worked against the often-changing hemagglutinin (HA), which is the protein that is on the virus’ surface.
When given the antibody within two days of infection, mice and ferrets reportedly recovered from the lethal doses of the flu virus.
Experts said the findings may eliminate the need to combine different antibodies into a single shot against the flu each season.
Despite researchers’ suggestions it may be five years before a universal flu vaccine is developed, the next step, they say, is to develop the antibodies into a treatment for flu-infected people.
