One nnew Brazilian vaccine created to be applied as a spray inside the nose was 100% effective in preventing Covid-19 in house mice, says a study published in the scientific journal Vaccines at the end of 2023.
The research is a pioneer in the world in trying to create another form of immunization against Covid-19 that is not applied through intramuscular injections, but with a spray on mucous membranes such as the nose or mouth.
One of the study coordinators, professor in the Immunology department at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo (ICB-USP) Momtchilo Russo says it was “natural” to think about this immunization format.
“As SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus, it was natural to propose a vaccine that could neutralize it in the area most prone to its attempts to enter the human body, that is, in the upper airways,” he explained.
Furthermore, another explanatory factor is that the mucous membranes of the human body produce a large amount of antibodies (defense against viruses such as SARS-CoV-2), including proteins that regulate immunity in these areas of the body.
The spray vaccine is based on the Spike (S) protein, similar to other existing vaccines such as Oxford-Astrazeneca and Janssen.
However, in addition to being easier to produce than other messenger RNA vaccines, as it does not need to be kept at very low temperatures, it can also work faster, as the spray tends to go directly to the lung.
In the study with house rats, researchers also came to believe that the spray vaccine has a greater capacity to reduce the transmission of Covid-19 than intramuscular vaccinations.
The new vaccine would still have the capacity to work well as a booster dose, researchers say.
There is still no date for testing on humans.
The pioneering research was developed by ICB-USP, in an agreement with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). There were also partnerships with researchers from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF) and the Institute of Tropical Medicine (IMT), both from USP, in addition to the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and support from Fapesp.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
