A candidate for a universal flu vaccine produced effective protection in lab mice The vaccine contains eight proteins from five different types of flu If successful, it would protect against all flu and might not need to be taken annually THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A universal flu vaccine that would protect against all strains -- and that people might not need to take every year -- could be close at hand, researchers report. An experimental vaccine candidate produced a strong immune response in lab mice, and it provided protection against severe infection after the critters were exposed to the virus, researchers reported Aug.
22 in the The candidate flu vaccine combines eight proteins from five different types of influenza virus, in hopes of providing immune protection against any type of flu that might strike the United States, researchers said. However, more investigation needs to be done, since animal-based trials don't always pan out in humans. Using data from previous studies, researchers concluded that these eight proteins together could provide a sustained and universal immune response against the flu, said lead researcher , a virologist and postdoctoral fellow with the Cleveland Clinic.
“We’ve been able to whittle down this list, to say these are the best at spanning multiple seasons and eliciting a broadly reactive antibody response,” Uno said of the eight proteins. “It’s like creating a greatest hits album. We want to put only the best one.