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News
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London have cracked a key barrier holding back next-generation self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) vaccines. By adding a protein called NoV B2, they dramatically boosted how much target protein these vaccines can produce — without blunting the immune response. The advance could mean more effective vaccines at lower doses, and opens doors for gene therapy and cancer immunotherapy.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London have found a clever workaround to one of the biggest obstacles facing next-generation self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) vaccines. Published in Nature Communications, the research shows that adding a protein called NoV B2 — known to suppress a cell's natural RNA interference defenses — allows saRNA to replicate more efficiently and produce far greater quantities of its target protein, all without compromising the immune response.
The problem saRNA vaccines face is almost ironic: in the process of self-replicating, they generate double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which triggers the cell's antiviral defenses and undermines the very replication they depend on. The NoV B2 protein effectively dials down that cellular pushback, letting the vaccine do its job better in both stem cells and regular cells.
The implications stretch well beyond pandemic preparedness. If the approach translates successfully in clinical settings, it could make gene therapy safer and more affordable, supercharge cancer vaccines, and potentially allow protein-replacement therapies to be self-generated by the patient's own body rather than delivered through repeated infusions.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: This discovery arrives as the U.S. cuts $500M in mRNA research funding — making breakthroughs like this from UK institutions all the more significant for the future of global vaccine development and advanced therapeutics.
