Breakthrough brings universal flu vaccine closer

August 25, 2015  17:29

Scientists have moved one step closer to developing a one-time vaccine that confers life-long protection against any type of flu.

Two separate U.S. teams have found success with an approach that targets a part of the flu virus that does not change year to year, BBC News reports.

That would remove the problem with current flu vaccines which must be given annually because they focus on the mutating part of the virus.

The research, published in the journals Science and Nature Medicine, was conducted in laboratory animals and must now be confirmed in tests clinical trials involving humans to confirm that the method will work.

In the meantime, experts say people should continue to receive an annual flu shot.

Unlike conventional flu vaccines, which target molecules on the surface of the flu virus that are constantly changing, the new approach homes in on the hemagglutinin molecule in the virus, which remains stable year to year.

"This is a leap forward compared to anything done recently,” said John Oxford, a flu expert at the University of London. “They have good animal data, not just in mice but in ferrets and monkeys too. And they've done it with the bird flu virus H5N1.

"It's a very good stepping stone. Ultimately, the hope is to get a vaccine that will cover a pandemic virus."

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