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Vienna. (is) Researchers have discovered a new antibody that could be effective against various influenza viruses. According to the team, the drug offers long-term universal protection against several strains of influenza A and B, as well as against the influenza A H1N1 virus. In humans and pigs, H1N1 flu viruses were established by the Spanish flu of 1918 and killed tens of millions of people. In 2009, a previously unknown subtype of the H1N1 virus, called the swine flu virus, spread to North America, causing another pandemic.
The base comes from the lamas
According to the researchers, the new antibody acts quickly and protects during the influenza season. Influenza vaccines are designed to prevent epidemics but are only effective to a limited extent. Elderly or immunodeficient persons are particularly at risk of infection and react less well to vaccines. In addition, influenza viruses mutate rapidly – the disease is highly variable. Vaccines must therefore be constantly adapted to the strains of the virus.
Nick Laursen and his colleagues present in Science a new strategy to produce so-called single-domain antibodies isolated from llamas previously immunized with influenza vaccines. According to the study, they can use this substance to produce a powerful multidomain antibody that knows and attacks many targets.
Mice vaccinated with the drug were almost completely immunized against influenza A and B. Even elderly and immunodeficient animals were protected from the vaccine even though they were infected with the H1N1 virus.
If the preclinical results in humans are reproducible, the flu could soon disappear.
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