Combination nasal spray vaccine could protect against COVID, flu and pneumonia at once

A single spritz could eventually offer simultaneous protection against several infectious diseases.

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have developed a new vaccine that could prevent multiple viruses at once, including COVID-19, influenza and pneumonia.

The vaccine is administered "intranasally" through a nasal spray, which provides "broad protection in the lungs for several months," according to a Stanford Medicine press release.

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Researchers claim this is the closest science has gotten to creating a universal vaccine that protects against respiratory viruses, bacteria and allergens.

The study, published in the journal Science, examined the impact of the vaccine on mice. The animals were given a drop in the nose, some receiving multiple doses a week apart.

Every mouse was then exposed to a respiratory virus. While vaccinated mice saw protection for at least three months, unvaccinated mice experienced dramatic weight loss due to illness, lung inflammation and death. Every vaccinated mouse survived and had clear lungs, the release stated.

The vaccinated mice were also found to be protected against SARS-CoV02 and other coronaviruses, as well as Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii — which are common hospital-acquired infections — and house dust mites, a common allergen.

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The universal vaccine does not target a single virus, but instead trains the immune system in the lungs to "provide broad protection against many different respiratory viruses," senior study author Bali Pulendran, PhD, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford, told Fox News Digital.

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"By reprogramming the innate immune cells that act within hours of infection, the vaccine prepares the lungs to fight off many different respiratory viruses, even new ones," he said.

If translated to humans, a vaccine like this could replace "multiple jabs every year for seasonal respiratory infections and be on hand should a new pandemic virus emerge," according to Pulendran.

"Imagine getting a nasal spray in the fall months that protects you from all respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and the common cold, as well as bacterial pneumonia and early spring allergens," the researcher said. "That would transform medical practice."

The results of the study suggest that the immune system can "be trained to mount a more generalized antiviral defense in the lungs," Pulendran added.

The researcher acknowledged that the study has some limitations. 

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It is a preclinical study conducted in animal models, making it an "important proof of concept rather than a finished human vaccine," Pulendran said.

"While the results are encouraging, additional studies are needed to determine safety, optimal dosing and effectiveness in people," he added.

This research should not change current medical advice, according to Pulendran, and the public should continue relying on approved vaccines and public health guidance.

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"Our goal is not to replace current vaccines, but to complement them by developing strategies that could provide an added layer of protection against a wide range of respiratory threats, including future pandemics," Pulendran added. "Translation to humans will require careful clinical testing."

The scientists' next step will be to test the vaccine in humans. With sufficient funding, Pulendran predicts that the vaccine could be available in five to seven years.

Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., the Arkansas-based medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, confirmed that there has "long been interest" in developing universal vaccines.

Hopkins, who was not involved in the study, cautioned that the immune responses in mice are not identical to those in humans.

"This process is a fascinating concept, and the study is very interesting, but many additional steps need to be completed successfully and safely before this could be considered in humans," he told Fox News Digital.

"It will likely take many years, require significant financial investment and involve multiple additional studies before we know whether this particular universal vaccine candidate can be safely given to humans and whether it will provide similar protection against respiratory bacteria and viruses."

The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Violetta L. Horton Professor endowment, the Soffer Fund endowment and Open Philanthropy.