Impact of additive on vaccine response

A universal influenza vaccine has long been a goal for researchers and an Emory Vaccine Center study may have found some possibilities that could pave the way to one in the future.

Researchers found that adding an additive called AS03, which was an adjuvant, would enhance the response to the vaccine. Following exposure to the additive, both naïve and non-naïve immune cells worked more efficiently in the presence of a virus. Other research had shown that the immune system would produce a wider array of antibodies when exposed to an unknown influenza virus.

The results have also spurred questions on whether the adjuvant could help improve results of COVID-19 vaccines. Adjuvant AS03 has been offered by manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline to be used in COVID-19 vaccine trials.

For more on the findings, check out our sister publication Drug Topics.