Recent preclinical findings reveal that innovative next-generation influenza B vaccines, developed at Cleveland Clinic, offer comprehensive and prolonged protection against various flu virus strains. These vaccine candidates, a product of Cleveland Clinic’s global vaccine research program led by Dr. Ted Ross, Global Director of Vaccine Development, demonstrate superior efficacy compared to currently utilized vaccines.
Short History of Influenza B Vaccines
Influenza B vaccines have adapted to combat the influenza virus’s continuous mutation. Traditional vaccines use viral antigens to stimulate the immune system, but the virus’s mutations require annual updates, diminishing prior formulations’ effectiveness. From 2001-2012, the flu shot matched the main influenza B strain only 50% of the time, leading to reduced vaccine efficacy in certain seasons.
One way of developing effective vaccines that last over time is using expert drug and preclinical testing available through Oncodesign Services and others, which analyzes and tests according to the latest medical trends and discoveries.
To overcome these challenges, innovative strategies like Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Antigens (COBRAs) have emerged. COBRAs analyze databases to identify stable antigen regions, aiming to provide broader and longer-lasting protection against diverse influenza strains. These antigens look promising, especially as pharmacists prepare for the annual flu and cold season.
Study Findings Success
Published in Scientific Reports, the study attributes the success of the influenza B vaccines to a groundbreaking technology from COBRAs. Unlike conventional vaccines that rely on antigens representing specific virus or bacterial components, COBRAs are designed to train the immune system more broadly, anticipating potential changes in the pathogen.
Michael Carlock, the study’s first author and a program manager in Dr. Ross’s lab, emphasizes the challenge of keeping traditional vaccines up-to-date as pathogens mutate. COBRAs address this issue by analyzing extensive databases and using bioinformatic programs to identify conserved antigen regions likely to be present in many viral strains and resistant to mutation over time.
The COBRA technology, applicable to various viruses including influenza, SARS-CoV-2, HIV, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and insect-borne viruses, eliminates guesswork in antigen selection. When tested in preclinical models, the influenza B COBRA vaccines exceeded expectations by safeguarding against multiple influenza B strains, even those between different lineages, and demonstrated potential for longer-lasting protection.
Carlock highlights that the COBRA vaccines, designed using strains predating 2013, effectively protected against modern strains circulating in 2023. This contrasts with vaccines developed a decade ago, which are ineffective against contemporary viruses.
