Flu News Friday: The Latest in Influenza Vaccines
June 11, 2021
Conference Announcement: The Eighth ESWI Influenza Conference is December 4th to 7th, 2021. Join colleagues and peers from around the world in Salzburg for the largest conference dedicated to influenza, RSV disease and Covid-19. Register here. Abstracts are due September 3, 2021; submit abstracts here.
1. GSU researcher receives $2.7M NIAID grant for study of seasonal, universal vaccination in elderly populations
Chris Galford, Homeland Preparedness News / June 8, 2021
Dr. Sang-Moo Kang, a professor from Georgia State University, has received a $2.7 million federal grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The five-year grant will be used to study immune responses to a universal influenza vaccine displaying multiple epitopes (HA, NA, and M2e), compared to seasonal vaccines, and whether the UIV candidate enhances the cross-protective efficacy in populations, young and old, with or without pre-existing immunity to influenza.
2. H1N2v influenza case reported in Taiwan
Outbreak News Today / June 7, 2021
The Taiwan Center for Disease Control has reported a human H1N2v influenza case. Variant influenza viruses usually spread in pigs. While they are antigenically and genetically distinct from the flu viruses infecting humans, swine-originating flu viruses can infect humans when humans are in close proximity to pigs. Pigs can be infected by avian, human, and swine influenza viruses. “When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge.”
3. CDC Reports Fifth U.S. Human Infection with a Variant Flu Virus for 2021
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / June 4, 2021
CDC reports the fifth human infection in the United States with a variant influenza virus. Occurring during the 2020–2021 influenza season, the five reported infections occurred in Wisconsin (one H3N2v and one H1N1v), North Carolina (one H1N1v), Ohio (one H1N2v), and Iowa (one H1N2v). Each patient fully recovered, and no person-to-person spread of variant influenza was identified associated with any of these patients.
4. Intranasal nanoparticle vaccination elicits a persistent, polyfunctional CD4 T cell response in the murine lung specific for a highly conserved influenza antigen that are sufficient to mediate protection from influenza virus challenge
Nelson et al., Journal of Virology / June 2, 2021
Scientists have developed an intranasal influenza vaccine targeting the highly conserved nucleoprotein (NP) to elicit broadly protective lung-localized CD4 T cell immune responses. The platform for the vaccine is a self-assembling nanolipoprotein particle linked to NP with an adjuvant. The lung-localized CD4 T cells induced by the vaccine demonstrated durability and when isolated and transferred to naïve recipients, 100% survival from lethal challenge to H1N1 influenza was observed.
5. HHS Launches First Venture Capital Partnership to Develop Transformative Technologies to Combat Future Pandemics, Other Health Emergencies
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services / June 1, 2021
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has launched a new, long-term, private-public partnership with the nonprofit organization, the Global Health Investment Corporation (GHIC). A Global Health Security fund will be created with matching capital from other investors. Using a venture capital model, GHIC plans to provide investment to companies to accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies, such as vaccines, for preventing and responding to pandemics and other health security threats.
6. Neutrophils and Influenza: A Thin Line between Helpful and Harmful
George et al., Vaccines / June 1, 2021
This article reviews the helpful and harmful role of neutrophils in protection from influenza, and how the understanding of neutrophils can be leveraged in the development of universal influenza vaccines. Neutrophils are mobilized as part of the first line of innate immune responses to fight a pathogen like influenza and have a role in influencing our adaptive immune responses to the virus. While they possess a variety of protective functions to eliminate viruses, excessive recruitment of neutrophils has been associated with severe influenza morbidity.
7. Animal Models for Influenza Research: Strengths and Weaknesses
Nguyen et al., Viruses / May 28, 2021
Animal models can allow the study of influenza mechanisms of transmission, viral pathogenesis, host-viral interactions, and vaccine and antiviral drug efficacy. The animal models reviewed in this article include ferrets, guinea pigs, swine, mice, felines, canines, and non-human primates.
8. Epitope-targeting platform for broadly protective influenza vaccines
Zeigler et al., PLOS One / May 27, 2021
Researchers have designed a nanoparticle-based influenza vaccine platform using solid-phase peptide synthesis. Epitopes from the hemagglutinin (HA) stem, the M2e ectodomain and the neuraminidase (NA) active site were targeted. Compared to vaccines displaying individual epitopes, findings suggest combining the stem and M2e epitopes increased survival of influenza B and influenza A H1N1 challenge from 50–70% to 90%.
9. Selecting and Using the Appropriate Influenza Vaccine for Each Individual
Sekiya et al., Viruses / May 24, 2021
This article examines strategies for currently licensed influenza vaccines and for next-generation influenza vaccines in development, including the advantages of using adjuvants for influenza vaccines. The authors note the COVID-19 pandemic has “laid the groundwork” for mRNA vaccines, potentially in its use for influenza vaccines in the near future.
10. Immune cellular networks underlying recovery from influenza virus infection in acute hospitalized patients
Nguyen et al., Nature Communications / May 11, 2021
Longitudinal samples from hospitalized influenza patients reveal how the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system work together to drive recovery. The study also examines genetic-host factors as well as immune responses based on prior exposure to influenza strains. The authors conclude that “tracking antibody, B and T cell responses (and other immune mediators) may be predictive of patients’ severity or recovery from influenza virus infections that require hospitalization.”
11. Funding Opportunities & Information
Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens — Viral Zoonoses
U.S. Agency for International Development / Due Jun 17, 2021
Surveillance and Response to Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza by Regional Offices of the World Health Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / Due June 21, 2021
The AAI Intersect Fellowship Program for Computational Scientists and Immunologists
The American Association of Immunologists / Due September 1, 2021
Emily Graul, Sabin Vaccine Institute
Visit Influenzer.org to learn more about our journey to accelerate the development of a universal influenza vaccine. @TheInfluenzers
