Scott Hensley, PhD, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhDPHILADELPHIA— An experimental mRNA vaccine against avian influenza virus H5N1 is highly effective in preventing severe illness and death in preclinical models.
mRNA vaccines are easily and quickly adapted to protect against different strains of influenza viruses, and don’t require eggs for their development.
The Penn researchers developed an mRNA vaccine targeting a specific subtype of the H5N1 virus that is circulating widely in birds and cattle.
Finally, researchers compared the mRNA vaccine response in mice to their response to a traditional egg-based vaccine and found that the mRNA vaccine was just as effective; both vaccines elicited strong antibody responses, regardless of prior seasonal flu exposures.
For more research on the groundbreaking mRNA research at Penn Medicine, visit: https://www.pennmedicine.org/mrna.

Penn Researchers Develop Experimental mRNA Avian Flu Vaccine