Nasal vaccine additive improves flu survival in mice even 100 days after treatment
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have discovered that a nasal vaccine adjuvant called K3-SPG can boost innate immunity against respiratory viruses for up to 100 days in mice. This finding suggests a potential method for providing temporary, broad-spectrum protection against emerging viruses before specific vaccines are developed.
Why it matters
This research could lead to new medical strategies for pandemic preparedness by strengthening the body's natural defenses against unknown respiratory threats.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add to Preferred Sources K3-SPG activates innate immunity and offers temporary defense against respiratory viruses. Credit: Professor Ken Ishii from The University of Tokyo, Japan. Created with BioRender.com The COVID-19 pandemic showed the challenges of protecting populations when a new respiratory virus emerges. Although vaccines were developed at unprecedented speed, there was still a period when vaccines were not yet available, and people remained vulnerable to infection. This raises an important question: Could the body's natural defenses be temporarily strengthened without knowing which virus will emerge?
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