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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Ditch the annual flu shot? Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a flu vaccine using baker's yeast that targets a highly conserved viral protein — offering broad, potentially long-lasting protection. In mouse studies, the vaccine produced antibodies against five influenza strains and delivered 100% protection against three of them.
Ditch the annual flu shot? A yeast-brewed vaccine might make it possible.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new flu vaccine using baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that could replace the decades-old, egg-based production method — and potentially eliminate the need for yearly shots. Instead of targeting hemagglutinin (HA), the rapidly mutating surface protein used in current vaccines, the team focused on M2, a viral protein that has remained largely unchanged since the 1918 flu pandemic and is conserved across human, swine, and avian influenza A strains.
The approach engineers yeast to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) displaying the M2 protein — mimicking the virus's structure without containing infectious genetic material. The technology has already been licensed to a company exploring oral vaccine delivery systems.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Current flu vaccines must be reformulated every year to match circulating strains — a slow, costly process. A broadly protective, long-lasting vaccine could dramatically reduce the public health burden of seasonal and pandemic influenza, while yeast-based manufacturing offers a faster, cheaper, and scalable alternative to egg-based production.
