Oxford University (Oxford University Innovation) has entered into an option agreement for a universal influenza vaccine with US-based startup Blue Water Vaccines (BWV)
February 2nd, 2019“……there are over almost 500,000 deaths a year caused by influenza, with somewhere between three to five million severe cases of illness annually. The virus is estimated to cost $87.1 billion in absenteeism in the US alone...…
[T]he universal flu vaccine developed at Oxford University targets epitopes that are both naturally immunogenic and limited in variability, allowing for a vaccine that protects against all influenza strains and avoids the need to be regularly updated.
The vaccine, which covers all influenza A and B strains is, is approaching clinical studies and could feasibly enter Phase I trials by the end of 2019……….”
‘……The vaccine is designed to target components of the influenza virus that are common to all strains, and will therefore also be suitable to target the outbreak of a new flu pandemic caused by the emergence of a novel form of the virus at the time it moves from an animal species into humans, according to the firm.
The vaccine is 100 percent synthetic and delivers “highly conserved immunogenic peptide fragments from the flu virus to antigen presenting cells in the skin, eliciting a strong and long-lasting T-cell immune response”……’
“…..Unlike ordinary vaccines, which use proteins found on the surface of the virus that are susceptible to change, the universal vaccine uses the more stable proteins at the virus’ core. Instead of utilising antibodies, it works by stimulating the immune system to boost virus-killing T-cells, which research has shown such can help fight more than one type of flu virus...…”