AI-Designed Universal Coronavirus Vaccine Passes First Human Trial
A novel pan-sarbecovirus vaccine candidate developed by the University of Cambridge and DIOSynVax has demonstrated safety in a Phase I, needle-free clinical trial.
A new type of vaccine, developed using artificial intelligence to provide long-lasting protection against a broad range of coronaviruses, has been proven to be safe in a first human clinical trial (1). Results from the clinical trial have been published in the Journal of Infection (2).
The universal Sarbeco coronavirus vaccine was developed by the University of Cambridge and spin-out DIOSynVax and was tested on a cohort of 39 healthy volunteers at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Facilities in Southampton and Cambridge. Using an AI-designed super-antigen, the vaccine can offer lasting protection against viruses, even if they mutate, and reduces the requirement for reformulation (1).
“We’ve converted vaccine development from being reactive to being future proof. Our vaccines will continue to provide protection against viruses even as they mutate into new strains,” said Professor Jonathan Heeney from the Lab of Viral Zoonotics, University of Cambridge’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, the scientific lead of the research, in a press release (1). “We’ve overcome the problem of traditional vaccines, which have limited protection. It means we can escape the constant cycle of chasing the virus variants circulating in humans and updating the vaccines to try to catch up, like a dog chasing its tail.”
“Viruses like Influenza, Coronaviruses and the Ebola group are evolving continuously and by the time vaccines are rolled out, they may be poorly matched - the current ‘reactive’ vaccine system struggles to keep pace,” added Professor Saul Faust from the University of Southampton, the trial’s chief investigator, in the press release (1). “This new class of universal vaccines are future-proofed. They not only protect against many variants simultaneously, but potentially against related viruses that haven’t yet emerged and spilt over to humans. If we can develop and clinically advance this new class of vaccines before a virus outbreak begins, millions of lives could be saved, lockdowns avoided and the economy preserved.”
"The remarkable success of this AI-designed ‘super-antigen’ trial marks a pivotal leap forward in our ability to deliver broad, lasting viral protection,” commented Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, in the press release (1). “This milestone was only made possible through partnerships between the life sciences sector and our world-class NIHR infrastructure in Cambridge and Southampton, whose Clinical Research Facilities provided the vital expertise and environment needed to safely fast-track this innovation, and bring it one big step closer to patients.”
According to the researchers, the super antigen is compatible for use with most vaccine delivery systems. For this study, the antigen was administered as DNA vaccine through a micro fluid jet, which is a needle-free delivery method that offers faster administration in large patient populations.
The vaccine was previously found to offer a strong immune response in animals and the next steps are to assess the vaccine in a larger Phase II trial of humans to determine whether it is able to induce immune responses in a wider and more diverse patient population.
References
Cambridge University. New ‘Universal Vaccine’ Technology Could Protect Us from Future Virus Outbreaks. Press Release, June 5, 2026.
Munro, A.P.S.; Ferrari, M.; Kinsley, R.; et al. A Phase I, Needle Free, Dose Escalation Clinical Trial of pEVAC-PS, a Candidate Pan-Sarbecovirus Vaccine. J. Infect. 2026, 92 (6), 106759.