Researchers successfully test corona nasal vaccine on hamsters

Researchers from Berlin have successfully tested a nasal vaccine against the coronavirus on animals. The virus could no longer multiply after two vaccinations, the Berlin Charité announced on Monday together with the Max Delbrück Center and the Free University (FU) Berlin.

The newly developed live vaccine outperformed “in all parameters” the injected comparator vaccines, including an mRNA vaccine. According to the announcement, the scientists tested the effect of the attenuated live vaccine on hamsters.

“The immune memory was stimulated very well and the mucous membranes were very well protected by the high concentration of antibodies,” said co-author Jakob Trimpert of the Free University of Berlin of the results. Accordingly, the transmissibility of the virus could also be significantly reduced in this way.

From the experts’ point of view, the decisive factor for the better performance of the attenuated live vaccine compared to the other vaccines could be that the vaccine administered through the nose builds up immunity directly where the virus enters. In addition, the live vaccine contains all viral components and not just the spike protein, as is the case with mRNA vaccines.

According to the researchers, the best protection against the coronavirus was achieved with a double vaccination through the nose, followed by the combination of an injected injection of an mRNA vaccine and the live vaccine, which was then administered nasally. According to the experts, the live vaccine could therefore be particularly interesting as a booster. But first there are security checks. A human clinical trial is being prepared.

Attenuated live vaccines are used against diseases such as measles, rubella or chickenpox, among other things. (sda/afp)