Researchers from Denmark have demonstrated that a simple addition to mRNA vaccines can significantly enhance their effectiveness. 

mRNA technology is highly effective against viruses and quick to adapt to new variants, but the immunity tends to wane rapidly, leaving people vulnerable to reinfection just months after vaccination. 

In a new study published in Nature Nanotechnology, scientists from the University of Copenhagen and the biotech company AdaptVac show 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,” said lead author Cyrielle Fougeroux, Senior Scientist at AdaptVac. 

The researchers demonstrated that by adding an extra genetic sequence to an existing Nipah virus mRNA vaccine, they can prompt the immune system to mount a more powerful and sustained response. 

“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,” commented senior author Adam Sander, Professor at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen and Scientific Director at AdaptVac. 

“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.” 

The new technology is expected to be ready for human testing within the next few years.

Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW