(Digitally Immune Optimised Synthetic Vaccines technology is designed to offer robust protection against a wide range of global virus threats, both current and emerging.
A groundbreaking vaccine candidate, developed by the University of Cambridge and DIOSynVax, exhibits broad-spectrum protection against known variants of SARS-CoV-2 and other major coronaviruses. The innovative technology targets critical regions necessary for the virus’s life cycle, potentially heralding a new era in vaccine development.
Revolutionary Approach to Vaccine Development:
Traditional vaccines are based on specific virus strains or variants from the past, potentially leaving them less effective against future mutations. However, the Cambridge vaccine employs a unique strategy, focusing on the virus’s essential functions rather than just surface proteins. This approach, guided by computational simulations, identifies structurally engineered antigens that remain consistent across different coronaviruses.
A Vaccine for Future Threats:
The DIOSynVax (Digitally Immune Optimised Synthetic Vaccines) technology is designed to offer robust protection against a wide range of global virus threats, both current and emerging. By addressing the virus’s Achilles heel, this approach aims to create a vaccine with a broad impact that viruses will struggle to evade.
Promising Results and Ongoing Clinical Trials:
Studies in mice, rabbits, and guinea pigs have shown encouraging immune responses against various coronaviruses. Importantly, the vaccine demonstrated effectiveness against the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. Human clinical trials are currently underway at Southampton and Cambridge, marking a significant step towards the vaccine’s potential deployment.
A Turning Point in Vaccine Technology:
Professor Jonathan Heeney, leading the research, emphasizes that this technology not only protects against known viruses but also lays the foundation for safeguarding against future, yet unknown, viral threats. By learning from nature’s past challenges, this innovative approach represents a transformative shift in vaccine development.
Funding and Future Prospects:
The research received initial funding from the DHSC UK Vaccine Network program and continued support from the Innovate UK DIOS-CoVax program. The DIOSynVax pipeline extends to vaccine candidates for influenza, hemorrhagic fever, and coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, which is presently undergoing clinical trials.
DIOSynVax, established in 2017 with the support of Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s commercialization arm, is at the forefront of this groundbreaking technology. Professor Jonathan Heeney, a Fellow at Darwin College, leads the research as the Professor of Comparative Pathology at the University of Cambridge.