- AI‑designed DNA vaccine demonstrated cross‑reactive antibodies in its first human trial.
Researchers at Cambridge used artificial intelligence to scan thousands of sarbecovirus genomes and pick conserved protein fragments. Those fragments formed the antigen in a DNA vaccine, delivered via a needle‑free jet stream. In a small safety study, participants produced antibodies that recognized SARS, COVID‑19 and related bat viruses. The vaccine was well tolerated and required no ultra‑cold storage.
If the approach scales, it could shift vaccine design from chasing each new strain to targeting whole virus families. That would simplify responses to future pandemics and could eventually replace the yearly flu shot. However, the trial showed only modest antibody levels and no data on durability, so larger studies are needed before any real‑world protection can be claimed.
For now, the result is a proof‑of‑concept: AI can draft a vaccine candidate, but the road to a universal coronavirus jab is still several years away.