Ensuring longer lasting immunity from vaccinations is critical as communities and the province continue to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. To help in the fight against new variants, researchers at Western University have developed a novel approach to creating an Ontario-made vaccine that could produce stronger and longer lasting immunity.
Currently, the most widely administered COVID-19 vaccines are mRNA or adenovirus vector-based. The Western-developed vaccine uses a virus vector – a modified version of a harmless virus – as a vessel to deliver important instructions to the body’s cells and create an immune response. In early pre-clinical models, the vaccine has been found to create a higher antibody and immune response against the virus with only one dose required. This means booster shots would not be needed to enhance immunity and safeguard against new variants, saving the health-care system both time and resources.
The team has also created a “vaccine bank” to contain ready-made vaccines that can be used rapidly at the start of another coronavirus outbreak. The team’s research is conducted in the Imaging Pathogens for Knowledge Translation (ImPaKT) Facility, which provides researchers with world-class lab space and equipment to study infectious diseases.
For more information, visit Western University.
