(‘World-first’ vaccine designed by AI Photo by BBC)
Scientists at the University of Cambridge say they have made a significant breakthrough in the development of vaccines capable of protecting against entire families of viruses, including future threats that have not yet emerged in humans.
A research team from the university and its biotechnology spin-out DIOSynVax has completed the first human trial of a new artificial intelligence-designed “universal” coronavirus vaccine.
The early-stage trial, conducted at clinical research facilities in Southampton and Cambridge, involved 39 healthy volunteers and found the vaccine to be safe, with no significant side effects reported.
The vaccine was administered using a needle-free jet delivery system.
Unlike conventional vaccines designed to target specific virus strains, the new approach uses AI to identify common genetic features shared across many related viruses and build what scientists call a “super-antigen” a vaccine component that trains the immune system to recognise a wide range of current and future variants.
The vaccine targets the Sarbeco coronavirus group, which includes SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and related bat viruses with the potential to spill over into humans.
Early results showed volunteers developed immune responses not only to known coronaviruses like COVID-19 but also to related animal viruses that have not yet caused human outbreaks a finding researchers described as particularly promising.
Professor Jonathan Heeney, who led the research, said the technology effectively shifts vaccine development from being reactive to future-proof, eliminating the need to constantly chase and update vaccines for emerging variants.
Professor Saul Faust, chief investigator of the trial, added that if such vaccines can be developed and clinically advanced ahead of future outbreaks, millions of lives could be saved and economic disruptions avoided.
Experts believe the technology could eventually be adapted for other dangerous virus groups, including influenza and Ebola.
However, researchers cautioned that the vaccine remains in early development and that a larger Phase 2 trial will be needed to confirm its effectiveness across a more diverse population.
The study was funded primarily by Innovate UK and represents one of the first real-world tests of an AI-designed vaccine in humans.
