Has a universal vaccine against all viruses been discovered?

An RNA-based vaccine, created by scientists at the University of California – Riverside, could soon revolutionize preventive medicine.

Scientists from University of California – Riverside (UCR)in the United States of America, presented a innovative strategy vaccine based on RNA which can be effective against any strain of virus, thus promising a significant advance in the fight against infectious diseases. This new approach, successfully tested in mice, focuses on a part of the viral genome common to all strains of a virus, the which could eliminate the need to develop specific vaccines for each variant.

The study, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencesdescribes how the vaccine proved effective and safe even for babies and people with weakened immune systems, with Dr. Rong Hai, virologist at UCR and author of the magazine article, expressing enormous enthusiasm at the prospect of having a universal vaccine, highlighting its applicability to different viruses and its safety for a wide range of people.

“What I want to highlight in relation to this vaccine strategy is that it is broad (…) applicable to any number of viruses, (…) effective against any variant of a virus and safe for a broad spectrum of people. This could be the universal vaccine we were looking for”says Dr. Rong Hai.

Traditionally, vaccines aim to protect against specific virus strains, requiring annual updates to adapt to predominant variants. However, the new strategy vaccine based on RNA focuses on a part of the viral genome common to all strains, which could revolutionize the way we deal with viral diseasesas was the case with SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus that originates the Covid-19).

The vaccine is based on small molecules of RNA that silence the genes responsible for the disease, rather than relying on the body’s conventional immune response, and makes it safe even for individuals with compromised immune systems. Tests on mice revealed significant protection against lethal doses of the virus for up to 90 days, thus indicating potential long-lasting immunity – some studies reveal that nine days in mice are equivalent to almost a year in humans.

A UCR has already obtained a patent in the United States of America for this new vaccine technology based on RNA, with the aim of expanding its application in order to protect against other viral diseases, like the flu. Scientists are confident that This approach can be adapted to tackle a variety of “well-known human pathogens, such as dengue and the SARS”thus offering hope for a new era in infectious disease prevention.

With this discovery, the possibility of a single vaccine for different types of viruses, which represents a revolutionary advance in preventive medicine and yet gives new hope in the fight against pandemics and infectious diseases at a global level.