A more affordable, lower-risk polio vaccine may be on the horizon

A more affordable, lower-risk polio vaccine may be on the horizon


Microscopic image of poliovirus. Credit University of Leeds. Credit: University of Leeds

University of Leeds Researchers Have Taken a Major Step Towards Producing a more affordable and lower-Risk polio vaccine using virus-like particles (vlps). These particles mimic the outer protein shell of poliovirus, but are empty inside. This means there is no risk of infection, but the vlp stil causes the immune system to respond.

Now, a research project LED by Professor David Rowlands, Emeritus Professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Leeds, have tested the effectiveness of using differentty, insect, mammalian and mammalian Plant Cells as Expression Systems to Generate Vlps.

In a paper Published in Nature CommunicationsThe Findings Show That Vlps Produced in Both Yeast and Insect Cells Can Perform Equally or Better Than the Current Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), Which Creates An IMMUNE SYSPON SYSPON SYSPONSE by using Killed version of the poliovirus. The paper is titled “Recombinant Expression Systems for Production of Stabilized Virus-Like Particles as Next-Generation Polio Vaccines.”

Professor Nicola Stonehouse is Chair in Molecular Biology at the University of Leeds School of Molecular and Cellular Biology and One of the Senior Authors on the paper. Professor Stonehouse Said, “Any vaccine is only as effective as the number of children that it reaches.

“The key is to make vaccines universally accessible, as all children have a right to be protected from diseases Contribute to vaccine equity.

“Thanks to research like this, we are already working with commercial partners to produce the next generation of polio vaccines Much closer to a polio-free future. “

Today’s Polio Vaccines

Currently, IPV is relatively expensive to produge it requires high levels of bio-content to minimize the risk of leaks of live poliovirus, which courich courich courich in outbreaks. Vlps are non-infected and would not need to be handled under Such Stringent Bio-Safety Conditions.

Oral polio vaccine (OPV), which contains live but weakened vaccine-virus, is also used in vaccination against polio.

Future polio vaccines

However, once all remains strains of wild poliovirus have been successfully eradicated, opv use will need to stop to eliminate a small risk of circulating Varianting Variants POLIOVIRUS POLIVIRUS POLIVIRUS Its use.

In populations where large numbers of people are unvaccinated and sewage disposal is poor, such strains can cause an outbreak through contact with fements, often Via Contaminated Water.

At this time, IPV will be the only polio vaccine available to population, but expensive manufacturing procedus make it unaffordable for lower-bill

Non-Infectious Vlps are Easier to Produce Than Current IPVs and Research has shown they are more temperature-stable, thanks to genetic alteration of the Outer Shell. As they are non-infected, this means they will be less expensive to produce, helping to improve equitial access to vaccination.

Dr. Martin eisenhawer is the who focal point for the development of polio vlps and the vlp consortium LED by the University of Leeds. Dr. Eisenhawer said, “The who, when looking at research and development priorities for new generation polio vaccines, have early on idealfied vlps as a technology that COLD BEEN COLD BELD BELD BELPS as a Technology For the post-radicalation period, with the aim for polio vlps to be ultimately produced as a very cost effective and safe vaccine by demlooping counteryrs for manufacturers for the benefit of A A Global Suply.

“Through an extentsive collaboration with the research consortium, Vaccine manufacturers and the global polio eradication initiative (GPEI), We are approaching this goal with the new devices.

“This research shows that a critical new polio vaccine solution is on the horizon. It would be a critical new tool to not only achieve but sustain global polio eradication, and ensure – in an equitable waly -hai -hai -ha Child Anywahere will ever against be paralyzed by any poliovirus.

The International Research Collection also included Researches from the University of Oxford, The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the John Innes Center, The Pirbright Institteer, The University of Florida and the University of Reading. The structural data was collected using a cryo-electron microscope at diamond light source.

Vlps are alredy used in vaccines for Hepatitis B And Human Papillomavirus (HPV) –nd Researchers have ben working for over a decade to apply this successful technology to help eradicate polio.

The next generation of polio vaccines are likely to be produced in yeast or insect cells, as the research showed these were effective when you tested on rats and mice. These cell expression systems are also favorite by companies and are used for existing vaccines, due to their low cost.

Dr. Lee Sherry was one of Four Lead Authors on the paper While Working at the University of Leeds. Dr. Sherry, Who Holds A Position at the University of Glasgow, said, “Folling the success of using vlp vaccines in preventing hepatitis b and hpv-rested diseases, it is verry exciting to see this Resiting to TAKEN FORD by Industrial Partners as a Safer Vaccine Production Strategy as We Move Towards a polio-free world. “

More information:
Lee sherry etc. Nature Communications (2025). Doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-56118 -z

Provided by University of Leeds


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