Needle-free vaccine candidate promises improved, longer-term immunity against COVID-19

Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) have discovered a new vaccine candidate that can be delivered through the nose (nasal) in the form of a spray that promises better and longer-lasting immunity against COVID-19 compared to the conventional COVID-19 vaccine administered through the skin (subcutaneous) via injections. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, vaccination became our primary defence against serious symptoms from a COVID-19 infection. There is mounting evidence that a more targeted approach of vaccine delivery – through our airways – can provide greater and prolonged protection against COVID-19 and potentially reduce subsequent infections. Past research showed that nasal vaccines induce an immune response on the inner surfaces of the upper respiratory tract where the SARS-CoV-2 virus – which causes COVID-19 – will usually initiate its infection. In a recent preclinical study published in eBioMedicine in December 2023, Duke-NUS researchers compared the immune responses...