WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, THOMAS LERSCH
Human adenoviruses have been proposed as vectors for antigens in vaccines because of their ability to induce strong immune responses in animal models. But there is one major problem—patients that have already been exposed to such adenoviruses naturally develop antibodies against them, which then neutralize the vaccine before it has a chance to deliver its package.
“The body has mounted an immune response, which stays for the rest of its life,” explained Alfredo Nicosia of Okairos in Rome, Italy.
Now, Nicosia and his colleagues believe they have found a solution—use chimpanzee adenoviruses instead. According to their report, out today (January 4) in Science Translational Medicine, chimp adenoviruses avoid the problem of preexisting immunity that can dampen vaccine potency. A second accompanying paper reports the successful ...
