Combo COVID vaccine works in mice; human tests scheduled for 2024

Duke researchers are working on a vaccine to protect against three different deadly strains of coronavirus.

The vaccine shows success in mouse studies, according to researchers at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute.

The vaccine included components of a previous vaccine that was shown to protect mice and primates against multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus that causes COVID-19.

In this study, the vaccine protected mice from SARS-CoV-1, another form of SARS coronavirus that can infect humans, and a MERS coronavirus that has led to periodic, deadly outbreaks around the world.

“We are making important progress toward a broadly protective coronavirus vaccine,” said Kevin O. Saunders, Ph.D., associate director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute. “These are pathogens that cause or have the potential to cause significant human infections and loss of life, and a single vaccine that provides protection could slow down or even prevent another pandemic.”

The tri-valent vaccine helps immune cells build an effective response against actual coronaviruses that enter the body.

Human tests are scheduled to begin in 2024 for a version that carries immunogens to different SARS-CoV-2 strains, including those that have dominated since the original outbreak in late 2019.

Researchers are working to expand the components of the vaccine to include an additional SARS-related virus and MERS virus. In lab studies, as well as in mice, the researchers found that the vaccine created antibodies against all three pathogenic human coronavirus types.

Vaccinated mice did not grow sick when challenged with either SARS-like or MERS-like viruses.