A new mucosal COVID-19 vaccine poised to revolutionize the delivery process is especially beneficial for those with a fear of needles.
A next-generation COVID-19 mucosal vaccine is set to be a game-changer not only when delivering the vaccine itself, but also for people who are needle-phobic.
New Griffith University research, published in Nature Communications, has been testing the efficacy of delivering a COVID-19 vaccine via the nasal passages.
Professor Suresh Mahalingam from Griffith’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics has been working on this research for the past four years.
Benefits of Live-Attenuated Vaccines
“This is a live attenuated intranasal vaccine, called CDO-7N-1, designed to be administered intranasally, thereby inducing potential mucosal immunity as well as systemic immunity with just a single dose,” Professor Mahalingam said.
“The vaccine induces strong memory responses in the nasal mucosa offering long-term protection for up to a year or more. It’s been designed to be administered as a single dose, ideally as a booster vaccine, as a safe alternative to needles with no adverse reactions in the short or long term.”

Live-attenuated vaccines offer several significant advantages over other vaccine approaches.
They induce potent and long-lived humoral and cellular immunity, often with just a single dose.
Live-attenuated vaccines comprise the entire virus thereby providing broad immunity, in contrast to a single antigen which is used in many other vaccine platforms.
Lead author Dr Xiang Liu said the vaccine provides cross-protection against all variants of concern, and has neutralising capacity against SARS-CoV-1.
“The vaccine offers potent protection against transmission, prevents reinfection and the spread of the virus, while also reducing the generation of new variants,” Dr Liu said.
“Unlike the mRNA vaccine which targets only the spike protein, CDO-7N-1 induces immunity to all major SARS-CoV-2 proteins and is highly effective against all major variants to date.
“Importantly, the vaccine remains stable at 4°C for seven months, making it ideal for low- and middle-income countries.”
Licensing and Future Prospects
The vaccine has been licensed to Indian Immunologicals Ltd, a major vaccine manufacturer.
Dr. K. Anand Kumar, co-author of the publication and Managing Director of Indian Immunologicals Ltd. Said: “We are a leading ‘One Health’ company that has developed and launched several vaccines for human and animal use in India and are currently exporting to 62 countries.”
“We have completed all the necessary studies of this novel COVID-19 vaccine which offers tremendous advantages over other vaccines. We now look forward to taking the vaccine candidate to clinical trials.”
Professor Lee Smith, Acting Director of the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, said he was delighted with the research findings.
“These results towards developing a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine are truly exciting,” Professor Smith said. “Our researchers are dedicated to providing innovative and, crucially, more accessible solutions to combat this high-impact disease.”
Reference: “A single-dose intranasal live-attenuated codon deoptimized vaccine provides broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants” by Xiang Liu, Wern Hann Ng, Eva Zusinaite, Joseph Freitas, Adam Taylor, Venugopal Yerragunta, Shukra Madhaha Aavula, Sambaiah Gorriparthi, Santhakumar Ponsekaran, Rama Lakshmi Bonda, Priyanka Mani, Sridevi V. Nimmagadda, Sainan Wang, Laura Sandra Lello, Ali Zaid, Ujjwal Dua, Sharon A. Taft-Benz, Elizabeth Anderson, Victoria K. Baxter, Sanjay Sarkar, Zheng L. Ling, Thomas M. Ashhurst, Samuel M. S. Cheng, Priyabrata Pattnaik, Anand Kumar Kanakasapapathy, Ralph S. Baric, Felicity J. Burt, Malik Peiris, Mark T. Heise, Nicholas J. C. King, Andres Merits, Rajendra Lingala and Suresh Mahalingam, 26 August 2024, Nature Communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51535-y

News
Natural Plant Extract Removes up to 90% of Microplastics From Water
Researchers found that natural polymers derived from okra and fenugreek are highly effective at removing microplastics from water. The same sticky substances that make okra slimy and give fenugreek its gel-like texture could help [...]
Instant coffee may damage your eyes, genetic study finds
A new genetic study shows that just one extra cup of instant coffee a day could significantly increase your risk of developing dry AMD, shedding fresh light on how our daily beverage choices may [...]
Nanoneedle patch offers painless alternative to traditional cancer biopsies
A patch containing tens of millions of microscopic nanoneedles could soon replace traditional biopsies, scientists have found. The patch offers a painless and less invasive alternative for millions of patients worldwide who undergo biopsies [...]
Small antibodies provide broad protection against SARS coronaviruses
Scientists have discovered a unique class of small antibodies that are strongly protective against a wide range of SARS coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1 and numerous early and recent SARS-CoV-2 variants. The unique antibodies target an [...]
Controlling This One Molecule Could Halt Alzheimer’s in Its Tracks
New research identifies the immune molecule STING as a driver of brain damage in Alzheimer’s. A new approach to Alzheimer’s disease has led to an exciting discovery that could help stop the devastating cognitive decline [...]
Cyborg tadpoles are helping us learn how brain development starts
How does our brain, which is capable of generating complex thoughts, actions and even self-reflection, grow out of essentially nothing? An experiment in tadpoles, in which an electronic implant was incorporated into a precursor [...]
Prime Editing: The Next Frontier in Genetic Medicine
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanReviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc. Discover how prime editing is redefining the future of medicine by offering highly precise, safe, and versatile DNA corrections, bringing hope for more effective treatments for genetic diseases [...]
Can scientists predict life longevity from a drop of blood?
Discover how a new epigenetic clock measures how fast you are really aging from just a drop of blood or saliva. A recent study published in the journal Nature Aging constructed an intrinsic capacity (IC) clock [...]
What is different about the NB.1.8.1 Covid variant?
For many of us, Covid-19 feels like a chapter we’ve closed – along with the days of PCR tests, mask mandates and daily case updates. But while life may feel back to normal, the [...]
Scientists discover single cell creatures can learn new behaviours
It was previously thought that learning behaviours only applied to animals with complex brain and nervous systems, but a new study has proven that this may also occur in individual cells. As a result, this new evidence may change how [...]
Virus which ’causes multiple organ failure’ found at popular Spanish holiday destination
British tourists planning trips to Spain have been warned after a deadly virus that can cause multiple organ failure has been detected in the country. The Foreign Office issued the alert on its dedicated website Travel [...]
Urgent health warning as dangerous new Covid virus from China triggers US outbreak
A dangerous new Covid variant from China is surging in California, health officials warn. The California Department of Public Health warned this week the highly contagious NB.1.8.1 strain has been detected in the state, making it the [...]
How the evolution of a single gene allowed the plague to adapt, prolonging the pandemics
Scientists have documented the way a single gene in the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, Yersinia pestis, allowed it to survive hundreds of years by adjusting its virulence and the length of time it [...]
Inhalable Nanovaccines: The Future of Needle-Free Immunization
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for adaptable and scalable vaccine technologies. While mRNA vaccines have improved disease prevention, most are delivered by intramuscular injection, which may not effectively prevent infections that begin at [...]
‘Stealthy’ lipid nanoparticles give mRNA vaccines a makeover
A new material developed at Cornell University could significantly improve the delivery and effectiveness of mRNA vaccines by replacing a commonly used ingredient that may trigger unwanted immune responses in some people. Thanks to [...]
You could be inhaling nearly 70,000 plastic particles annually, what it means for your health
Invisible plastics in the air are infiltrating our bodies and cities. Scientists reveal the urgent health dangers and outline bold solutions for a cleaner, safer future. In a recent review article published in the [...]