Medscape: New adjuvant boosts SARS-CoV-2 protection in animal models

Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UC College of Medicine, was one of the expert sources cited in an article in Medscape on new research in animal models and COVID-19 vaccines. The research shows that a novel adjuvant, or new ingredient, that delivered a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine directly to the lymph nodes might be an effective option for humans, as it can 'hitchhike' on albumin from the site of the injection and ride into lymph nodes where new T cell and B cell responses begin. 

"It sounds promising, but these are very early days and lots more to learn before this becomes the optimal solution," says Fichtenbaum. 

"We need to understand where the optimal site of protection is in the body," he said. "Is it at the surface where the infection first starts? Is it in the immune system network, like lymph nodes? Do we need a combination of both?"