First humans trial AI-designed coronavirus vaccine

A team of British researchers from the universities of Cambridge and Southampton has successfully completed the first human safety trial of an entirely AI-designed vaccine, marking what scientists describe as a world first in the effort to develop broader protection against evolving viruses. The vaccine, which uses a computer-designed "super-antigen" to target shared features across multiple coronaviruses rather than a single strain, was tested on 39 healthy volunteers between December 2021 and September 2023. Researchers reported no significant safety concerns and found that participants generated immune responses against multiple coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, SARS, and related bat coronaviruses that have the potential to jump from animals to humans. The technology represents a fundamental shift from reactive to preventive vaccine development. Rather than chasing constantly mutating virus variants and updating vaccines to keep pace, the AI system analyzed genetic data from surveillance programmes worldwide to identify elements least likely to change as pathogens evolved. Professor Jonathan Heeney from the University of Cambridge, who led the research, stated that the approach converts vaccine development from reactive to "future proof," while Professor Saul Faust from the University of Southampton emphasized that current reactive systems struggle to keep pace with viruses that evolve continuously. The vaccine also uses a needle-free delivery method through a microfluidic jet, increasing global applicability by reducing volume requirements and eliminating cold chain logistics challenges. The findings, published in the Journal of Infection, are being viewed as proof that AI-designed vaccine components can be tested safely in humans, though researchers caution that immune responses observed so far have been modest and larger studies are required. A Phase II clinical trial involving more than 200 participants is expected to begin soon to assess how effectively the vaccine trains the immune system in a wider population. The Cambridge team believes the same AI platform could be applied to develop universal vaccines against influenza, bird flu, and viral haemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, with animal studies already underway on some of these targets.