The group of Deming ZHOU modified the premature termination codon (PTC) in the genome of influenza A virus and found that the modified virus could no longer replicate in regular cells. Antibody response was comparable to an existing live-virus vaccine, and a second dose further increased the amounts of antibodies by a factor of six to eight. The vaccine elicited all aspects of immune responses including humoral, mucosal and T cell-mediated immunity against hyper-variable and even antigenically distinct influenza virus strains, providing a potential therapeutic tool. The viral vaccine was successfully tested via the intranasal route against several different strains of influenza in guinea pigs and ferrets.

CAS news release, December 7, 2016