Scientists at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, USA, have identified a new way to deliver a vaccine by aerosol rather than injection.
In a study published in Med, researchers using mice and monkeys, developed an aerosol system using small particles which deliver the vaccine in order to produce a protective antibody response.
The team hope that the inhalation delivery method could be especially relevant for vaccination against diseases which affect the lungs, such as Covid-19, as it ensures the vaccine reaches the relevant organ directly and much more quickly than injection, so the immune cells can start making an immune response straight away.
“This translational strategy potentially enables more effective delivery of therapeutics or vaccines while reducing the chance of toxic side effects,” said Dr Wadih Arap, co-senior author on the study.