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Researchers in Israel have created a groundbreaking vaccine that is deemed “100% effective” against a deadly bacteria that affects humans.
The development was announced by Tel Aviv University in collaboration with the Israel Institute for Biological Research. They have successfully formulated an mRNA-based vaccine, the first of its kind to provide protection against bacteria.
“Our mRNA vaccine has demonstrated 100% efficacy in safeguarding against the pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection known as the most dangerous form of the disease,” shared Professor Dan Peer, co-lead of the study and director of the Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine at Tel Aviv University.
“Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for causing the plague, is extremely lethal and poses a significant threat to human health. Currently, there is no approved vaccine available for this deadly bacterium,” Peer explained.
Co-study author Prof. Dan Peer, left, is pictured with Dr. Inbal Hazan-Halefy, center, and Ph.D. student Shani Benarroch of Tel Aviv University. The team has developed a new vaccine that is “100% effective” against bacteria that is deadly to humans. (Tel Aviv University)
The researchers put the vaccine to the test in animals infected with the bacteria, and the results were promising. “Unvaccinated animals succumbed to the infection within a week, while those vaccinated with our vaccine remained healthy and alive,” the team reported, highlighting that a single dose offered full protection after two weeks.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, marks a significant milestone as mRNA vaccines were previously only known to be effective against viruses like COVID-19, not bacteria. Dr. Edo Kon from Tel Aviv University, who co-led the study, noted that scientists believed mRNA vaccines against bacteria were unachievable until now.
Pneumonic plague — a severe lung infection — is caused by Yersinia pestis, which is considered a highly lethal infectious bacterium. (iStock)
Unlike vaccines for viruses, which stimulate cells to produce viral proteins to train the immune system, the team employed a different approach to elicit a robust immune response against the bacterial proteins. “By combining innovative strategies, we were able to achieve a comprehensive immune response,” they explained.
“This breakthrough paves the way for the rapid development of vaccines for bacterial diseases, especially those caused by pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said the researchers.
“Our mRNA vaccine provides 100% protection against pneumonic plague, which is considered the most dangerous form of the disease.”
Dr. Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a biotechnology company in San Francisco, emphasized the significance of the study in expanding the applications of mRNA technology beyond viruses like coronavirus and influenza.
“This research showcases the potential for mRNA technologies to be swiftly applied to address emerging threats,” Glanville stated.
Peer acknowledged that while the results in mice are promising, further clinical studies are required to evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness in humans. Additionally, the vaccine relies on the same lipid nanoparticle mRNA vaccine platform as COVID-19 vaccines, necessitating cold chain logistics for storage.
The primary limitation of the study, according to the lead researcher (not pictured), is that the vaccine’s effectiveness was shown in mice. (iStock)
Despite these limitations, the researchers are optimistic about the potential of their technology to revolutionize vaccine development for bacterial infections and combat antibiotic resistance worldwide.
“If tomorrow we face some kind of bacterial pandemic, our study will provide a pathway for quickly developing safe and effective mRNA vaccines.”
“Our study not only addresses the threat of plague outbreaks and bioterrorism but also lays the groundwork for mRNA vaccines against other antibiotic-resistant bacteria, offering a powerful tool to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance,” Peer concluded.
The study received support from the European Research Council, the Israel Institute for Biological Research, and the Shmunis Family Foundation.
