AI-powered "superantigen" vaccine could prevent future pandemics

A new vaccine that uses a "superantigen" made by artificial intelligence could prevent future pandemics before they start. The innovative technology is developed by a team of researchers at the University of Cambridge, in the United Kingdom.

With the unprecedented method, according to the university, better vaccines would be created that can offer broad protection against thousands of virus variants - such as coronavirus or Ebola.

The first human clinical trial of a universal Sarbeco coronavirus vaccine, developed by the University of Cambridge and spin-off company DIOSynVax (DVX) Ltd, has demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and has no significant side effects.

Continue lendo

06/06/2026

Fire in the port of Manta, Ecuador, affects at least 14 fishing boats

Fire in the port of Manta, Ecuador, hits several fishing boatsA fire hit fishing boats in the port of Manta, Ecuador,...

06/06/2026

Brazil at the 2026 World Cup: see dates and times of the team's games

Carlo Ancelotti during the call-up of the Brazilian teamRafael Ribeiro/CBFBrazil and Egypt face each other this Saturd...

06/06/2026

Shots injure police officers in operation to reopen highway in Bolivia

Bolivian police and armed forces cleared part of a major highway in San Julián, in the eastern region of Santa Cruz, o...

The trial, which involved 39 healthy volunteers, tested a vaccine developed to provide protection against multiple coronaviruses from the Sarbeco family - the large group of viruses that occur in nature, including Sars-CoV-2, which causes the Covid-19 pandemic.

We transform vaccine development from being reactive to becoming future-proof. Our vaccines will continue to provide protection against viruses, even if they mutate into new strains.

Jonathan Heeney, professor at the Laboratory of Viral Zoonoses at the Department of Veterinary Medicine

Top Cifras

Toque agora.

1 Aquí Me Quedo Paola Pablo

2 If Nigel Could Then Nigel Would Morning Crush

3 Deixo Você Ir Onze:20

4 Ana No Duerme Almendra

According to Cambridge, the vaccine triggered immune responses in volunteers not only against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS, but also against related bat viruses that could transmit from animals to humans and cause future pandemics.

Vaccines developed with the "superantigen" could protect against future threats from emerging viruses. The technology also reduces the need for frequent reformulations, which is a key limitation of current vaccines.

This is the first time that a vaccine, whose active component was designed entirely through computer simulations, has been tested in humans. Participants took part in clinical trials at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) clinical research facilities in Southampton and Cambridge. The study was sponsored by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHSFT).

We have overcome the problem of traditional vaccines, which have limited protection. This means we can escape the constant cycle of chasing virus variants circulating in humans and updating vaccines to try to catch up," said Professor Heeney, who is the scientific lead of the research.

"Superantigen"
The antigen is the active ingredient in a vaccine: it stimulates the body's immune system to produce a protective immune response, training it to fight future infections by a wide range of pathogens that contain these specific DVX antigens.

Current vaccines, such as the seasonal flu vaccine and existing Covid-19 vaccines, use antigens from specific viral strains or variants that have already been detected in humans. But because viruses are constantly mutating, when these traditional vaccines are produced and distributed, they offer limited protection and need to be updated annually to stay relevant.

To develop the antigen for a universal coronavirus vaccine, the team used all available genetic sequence data for sarbeco coronaviruses, recorded by surveillance programs around the world.

Using machine learning, researchers designed a superantigen containing the antigenic features common to this entire group of viruses - including those that have not yet emerged.

Human trials
The vaccine was administered to volunteers aged between 18 and 50 at the Southampton NIHR Clinical Research Center at UHSFT and the Cambridge NIHR Clinical Research Center at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

The superantigen is compatible with most vaccine delivery systems. In this clinical trial, it was administered as a DNA vaccine via a microjet of fluid.

This needle-free administration method offers an alternative for those who are afraid of needle injections. This could make vaccination faster and easier to carry out on large numbers of people, especially in places where conventional shots are more difficult to administer.

An earlier animal study - an important step before human trials begin - found the vaccine provided a strong immune response against a variety of coronavirus.

Further development of the vaccine is needed before it is ready for public use. A larger-scale Phase 2 trial will evaluate the vaccine's ability to induce immune responses in a broader, more diverse population, and confirm whether it generates strong, broadly protective immune responses.

The Cambridge researchers also highlighted the ongoing threat of a pandemic, particularly with constant evolution of the Ebola and coronavirus viruses. "If we can develop and clinically advance this new class of vaccines before the start of a viral outbreak, millions of lives could be saved, lockdowns avoided and the economy preserved," says Professor Saul Faust, from the University of Southampton, lead investigator of the trials.

The test results were published in the Journal of Infection.

Source: CNN