Sun, 27 Jul 2025 11:26:09 +1000
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<https://www.centenary.org.au/news/new-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-shows-strong-protection-against-multiple-variants/>
"A promising new COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by researchers at the
Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney has shown strong potential to
protect against both current and emerging coronavirus variants. By targeting
features shared by a range of coronaviruses, the vaccine is designed to offer
broader and longer-lasting protection as the virus continues to evolve.
The development comes as Australia faces continued COVID-19 circulation during
winter, with new Omicron subvariants such as XBB.1.5 contributing to infections
and hospitalisations. To date, there have been over 115,000 COVID-19 cases
reported to the Australian Government’s National Notifiable Diseases
Surveillance System for 2025.
Published in the scientific journal npj Vaccines, the new study shows that the
vaccine candidate, named CoVEXS5, protected mice from multiple coronaviruses,
including the highly immune-evasive Omicron XBB.1.5 variant and SARS-CoV-1, a
relative of SARS-CoV-2 that was responsible for the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.
In laboratory tests, CoVEXS5 reduced virus levels in the lungs of infected mice
by approximately 99.9% compared to unvaccinated controls, demonstrating a
dramatic protective effect.
Notably, the vaccine candidate triggered high levels of virus-blocking
antibodies and activated special immune T-cells in the lungs that play a key
role in defending against respiratory viruses.
CoVEXS5 features a unique version of the spike protein, which fuses protein
elements from several coronaviruses into a single structure. This fusion helps
the immune system recognise and respond to a broader range of virus types, not
just one specific strain.
“By combining parts of multiple coronaviruses, we’ve created a vaccine that can
better prepare the body to fight off both current and future threats,” said Dr
Claudio Counoupas, co-lead study author and researcher at the Centenary
Institute’s Centre for Infection & Immunity.
Co-lead study author, Elizabeth Chan, a PhD student at the Centenary Institute
and the University of Sydney, said the findings highlight the potential for a
next-generation COVID-19 vaccine that could work across different variants.
“The immune response we saw in the laboratory was both strong and broad. It’s
exciting to think that this approach could help future-proof vaccines against
ongoing changes in the virus,” she said."
Via Violet Blue’s Threat Model - Covid: July 24, 2025
https://www.patreon.com/posts/134838328
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
"A promising new COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by researchers at the
Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney has shown strong potential to
protect against both current and emerging coronavirus variants. By targeting
features shared by a range of coronaviruses, the vaccine is designed to offer
broader and longer-lasting protection as the virus continues to evolve.
The development comes as Australia faces continued COVID-19 circulation during
winter, with new Omicron subvariants such as XBB.1.5 contributing to infections
and hospitalisations. To date, there have been over 115,000 COVID-19 cases
reported to the Australian Government’s National Notifiable Diseases
Surveillance System for 2025.
Published in the scientific journal npj Vaccines, the new study shows that the
vaccine candidate, named CoVEXS5, protected mice from multiple coronaviruses,
including the highly immune-evasive Omicron XBB.1.5 variant and SARS-CoV-1, a
relative of SARS-CoV-2 that was responsible for the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.
In laboratory tests, CoVEXS5 reduced virus levels in the lungs of infected mice
by approximately 99.9% compared to unvaccinated controls, demonstrating a
dramatic protective effect.
Notably, the vaccine candidate triggered high levels of virus-blocking
antibodies and activated special immune T-cells in the lungs that play a key
role in defending against respiratory viruses.
CoVEXS5 features a unique version of the spike protein, which fuses protein
elements from several coronaviruses into a single structure. This fusion helps
the immune system recognise and respond to a broader range of virus types, not
just one specific strain.
“By combining parts of multiple coronaviruses, we’ve created a vaccine that can
better prepare the body to fight off both current and future threats,” said Dr
Claudio Counoupas, co-lead study author and researcher at the Centenary
Institute’s Centre for Infection & Immunity.
Co-lead study author, Elizabeth Chan, a PhD student at the Centenary Institute
and the University of Sydney, said the findings highlight the potential for a
next-generation COVID-19 vaccine that could work across different variants.
“The immune response we saw in the laboratory was both strong and broad. It’s
exciting to think that this approach could help future-proof vaccines against
ongoing changes in the virus,” she said."
Via Violet Blue’s Threat Model - Covid: July 24, 2025
https://www.patreon.com/posts/134838328
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
