Vaccine may protect against the virus behind multiple sclerosis

By Alice Klein.

A vaccine that protects against the common Epstein-Barr virus has shown promise in animals. A human trial is expected to start in the next few years.

The vaccine was developed by Gary and his colleagues at ModeX to teach the immune system to recognize the pathogen if it is exposed.

Experiments have shown that mice, ferrets and rhesus macaques developed an immunity to the Epstein-Barr virus.

The researchers engineered mice with human-like immune systems to better understand the jab. Only 17 per cent of the mice became sick after being exposed to the virus. 100 per cent of the mice had the same problem.

It was a very promising result because we were able to block the virus infection almost entirely and stop it from causing even low-level infections.

Half of the rodents that did not receive the vaccine-inducing antibodies developed lymphomas, cancers of the lymphatic system that are becoming more and more associated with the Epstein-Barr virus, compared with the mice that did receive the vaccine-inducing antibodies. The researchers did not look into any other related conditions.

More than 95 per cent of adults worldwide are exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus, a type of herpes that can be spread via saliva. It is known to cause glandular fever and is associated with multiplesclerosis.

If the vaccine is shown to be safe and effective in people, it could be given to children.

Moderna, the US company better known for its covid-19 vaccine, started a clinical trial for its own jab. The ModeX candidate uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a vaccine that uses a

Julia Morahan says that both vaccines look promising, but that it will be several decades before we can gauge their potential.

If we were able to give every child a vaccine, we would have to wait 25 years to see if they develop the disease.

Science Translational Medicine is a journal.