Co-delivery of SpyC-mi3 and Pfs25-SpyT leads to assembled particles displaying Pfs25 at excessive density. Credit score: Nature Nanotechnology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41565-025-01889-1
A more practical vaccine know-how could also be on the horizon. In a brand new research in mice, researchers from the College of Copenhagen show {that a} easy addition to mRNA vaccines can considerably improve their effectiveness. The innovation may turn out to be a robust software within the subsequent pandemic. The following step is human trials.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t simply face masks that grew to become a part of on a regular basis dialog—so did a brand new vaccine know-how: the mRNA vaccine.
As the primary of its type, the COVID-19 vaccine was developed utilizing mRNA know-how, which proved each extremely efficient towards the virus and fast to adapt to new variants. Nevertheless, the immunity offered by mRNA vaccines tends to wane quickly, leaving individuals weak to reinfection simply months after vaccination.
Now, a crew of researchers might have discovered an answer.
In a brand new research revealed in Nature Nanotechnology, scientists from the College of Copenhagen and the biotech firm AdaptVac—initially a spinout from the college—present that mice develop a stronger and longer-lasting immune response when the mRNA vaccine is disguised as virus-like particles.
“Our study combines two technologies: mRNA vaccines and what we call virus-like particles. By engineering the mRNA vaccine to produce virus-like particles, we trick the immune system into thinking it’s encountering a real virus. This triggers a much stronger and more durable immune response in mice, which is exactly what we want,” says lead writer Cyrielle Fougeroux, Senior Scientist at AdaptVac.
A vaccine in viral disguise
The researchers show that by including an additional genetic sequence to the present mRNA vaccine, they will immediate the immune system to mount a extra highly effective and sustained response. This means that decrease doses could also be adequate, and the research additionally means that the vaccine’s results last more.
“We believe this discovery represents a significant improvement to current mRNA technology and could play a major role in the development of next-generation vaccines,” says senior writer Adam Sander, Professor on the Division of Immunology and Microbiology on the College of Copenhagen and Scientific Director at AdaptVac.
Whereas it stays to be seen how a lot the brand new mRNA vaccine know-how can prolong immune responses in people, the mouse research present a considerably stronger and longer-lasting immunity.
Antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses within the spleen are elevated in mice immunized with DNA encoding for antigen-displaying cVLP. Credit score: Nature Nanotechnology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41565-025-01889-1
Making ready for the subsequent pandemic
Researchers around the globe are working to higher put together for future pandemics. mRNA vaccines are anticipated to stay a key a part of the worldwide response to rising viruses.
On the College of Copenhagen, Sander and his colleagues are growing a vaccine towards the Nipah virus, which is on the WHO’s listing of potential future pandemic threats. The brand new know-how is anticipated to be prepared for human testing throughout the subsequent few years.
“mRNA technology is a powerful tool against a wide range of diseases, but its short-lived effect in humans is a major challenge. If we can use virus-like particles to achieve a stronger and potentially longer-lasting immune response, we’ve made a meaningful improvement to the technology—one that could have a major impact during a pandemic,” says Sander.
In sensible phrases, this might imply fewer and smaller vaccine doses are wanted to take care of immunity—saving each cash and well being care sources.
When mRNA vaccines emerged in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, they marked a significant shift from conventional vaccine growth. Beforehand, vaccines had been made utilizing lab-produced antigens from both reside or inactivated viruses—a gradual course of that struggles to maintain tempo with quickly mutating pathogens.
mRNA vaccines work in another way: The antigen is produced contained in the physique. The vaccine itself consists of a small piece of genetic code—messenger RNA (mRNA)—to which the immune system responds.
On this research, researchers added a second genetic sequence to the traditional mRNA vaccine. One sequence instructs the physique to supply the vaccine antigen, whereas the opposite codes for a virus-like particle. Contained in the physique’s cells, the 2 elements assemble into virus-like particles with surfaces densely coated within the vaccine antigen.
To the immune system, the end result appears like an actual virus—triggering a stronger immune response.
Extra data:
Cyrielle Fougeroux et al, A modular mRNA vaccine platform encoding antigen-presenting capsid virus-like particles enhances the immunogenicity of the malaria antigen Pfs25, Nature Nanotechnology (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41565-025-01889-1
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