Dennis Metzger of Albany Medical College (Albany, New York) has presented research at the Society for General Microbiology Spring Conference demonstrating the effectiveness of using interleukin-12 (IL-12) in combination with intranasally-delivered vaccines to boost immune response. The study tested the effectiveness of these vaccines in mice against influenza virus, pneumococcal bacteria, and Yersinia pestis.
While standard intranasal vaccines have limited effectiveness due to low immune response at mucosal surfaces, says Professor Metzger, “We now have evidence that this method could work for a wide range of vaccines when IL-12 is included in formulation.”
Metzger adds that “our results have shown that antibodies induced by intranasal vaccination are effective not only in preventing infection but can also protect the pulmonary tract in a therapeutic manner after pathogen exposure; In the case of a bioterrorism threat or an influenza pandemic, this is significant.”
Clinical trials of the IL-12 nasal vaccine combinations in humans would be the next step.
Read the Society for General Microbiology press release.
