Local university scientists banded together in search of ‘ultimate’ COVID vaccine — and they may have found it

A new innovative COVID-19 vaccine developed by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as other local universities could act against current and future variants.

Researchers used an artificial intelligence system to sort through “a vast number” of compounds to identify 30 that would work well against COVID-19, according to lead author David Gifford, in a report published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Immunology.

Gifford, a professor at MIT teaching computer science and biological engineering, spoke to The Boston Globe about his work.

Scientists at Boston University, Tufts University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Texas collaborated with MIT on the new vaccine, according to the Globe.

In tests done on mice infected with COVID-19, all mice given the new vaccine survived, while 80 percent of mice not given the vaccine died, according to Gifford.

This vaccine differs from the others currently on the market due to the portion of the virus being targeted, according to the Globe. Moderna’s and Pfizer’s vaccines teach the human body to recognize and fight off the spike protein cells found on the virus. As the virus evolves, these can change.

However, this new vaccine produced by the Canadian company Acuitas Therapeutics targets a different area of the virus, less prone to change or variants, according to the Globe.

This type of vaccine is called a “pan-variant” and could eliminate the need for rounds of booster shots. Other universities are also working on this technology.

Although this vaccine hasn’t been tested on humans, some small clinical trials have begun, according to Gifford.

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