New 'AI-designed' vaccine tested on humans that can work on all types of Covid

 

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed what they describe as a "fundamentally new" vaccine using AI to design its core component.

The vaccine can work against all types of coronavirus, including every Covid variant, and animal viruses that could trigger future pandemics.

It marks the first occasion an AI-designed antigen has been tested in humans.

Professor Jonathan Heeney, from the University of Cambridge, said: "This is a fundamental shift in how we prepare for pandemics."

He added: "We're always behind," explaining the goal is to "get ahead of the curve" to protect against new outbreaks before they emerge.

Traditional vaccines rely on current strains of virus to function, but the Cambridge team took a different approach.

They gathered genetic codes from multiple coronaviruses identified through surveillance programmes monitoring "potential viral threats".

An AI system analysed this data and designed a "super-antigen" capable of training the immune system to recognise entire virus families.

This protection would extend to mutated versions and novel infections jumping from animals to humans.

Antigens form the crucial element of any vaccine, as they teach the body what to attack.

Prof Heeney said the technology was "surprising all of us" and described it as "amazing what we can do with it for the good of humanity".

Initial safety trials involved 39 participants and produced what researchers described as "modest" immune responses.

Despite this, the findings published in the Journal of Infection have generated considerable excitement among scientists.

A second study with approximately 200 volunteers will provide deeper insight into how effectively the vaccine trains the immune system.

Prof Saul Faust, who conducted some trials at the University of Southampton, said the AI design "definitely has potential" and was "really exciting".

He told the BBC: "What's really interesting is the technology is an awful lot better at designing vaccines for potential pandemics when viruses are changing."

The Cambridge team is already conducting animal research on universal seasonal flu vaccines that would eliminate the need for annual updates.

They are also working on an H5N1 bird flu vaccine in case the virus currently devastating bird populations spreads to humans.

Research into vaccines for viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola species, is also underway.

The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo involves a species without an existing jab.

Prof Andy Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said artificial intelligence would be a "game-changer" for vaccine research.

He added that AI tools could predict immune responses, speeding up development and saving lives.

Though yesterday, several major AI firms wrote to the US Congress to adopt new laws which would make it harder for "bad actors" to develop biological weapons using similar tech.

Industry leaders including Google's Demis Hassabis, OpenAI's Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei signed a public letter calling for laws requiring companies that sell synthetic DNA and RNA to screen customers and orders to prevent the misuse of genetic material.