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A British team of scientists has tested a vaccine on humans for the first time whose blueprint was developed entirely by an artificial intelligence (AI). (Symbolic image)
Bild: Sven Hoppe/dpa
Researchers have tested a vaccine designed entirely by an AI on humans for the first time. The initial data confirm that the vaccine is well tolerated and safe.
A world first in medical research: a British team of scientists has tested a vaccine on humans for the first time whose blueprint was developed entirely by artificial intelligence (AI). The innovative coronavirus vaccine should no longer only react retrospectively to existing pathogens, but also provide preventive protection against future, unknown virus mutations and entire pathogen families.
The vaccine called pEVAC-PS, presented in the "Journal of Infection", was the first to be developed entirely on a computer. According to a report on "ZDF heute", the computer program searched the genetic material of thousands of coronaviruses - including SARS, SARS-CoV-2 and various pathogens from bats - for a matching blueprint. From these similarities, the AI formed a so-called "super antigen", which is intended to prepare the human immune system for a wide range of related viruses.
"We have changed vaccine development from reactive to future-proof," said Jonathan Heeney, Head of Scientific Research at the University of Cambridge, summarizing the essence of the research project.
As part of an initial Phase 1 clinical trial, the new preparation was tested on 39 healthy test subjects between the ages of 18 and 50. The initial data confirm that the AI vaccine is well tolerated and safe, with no serious complications.
In terms of the measurable immune response, however, the results were initially subdued, with the body's own antibody response being rather weak. The researchers attribute this to the fact that the test subjects already had strong immune protection due to previous infections or previous coronavirus vaccinations. However, when higher doses were administered, the first indications were found that the vaccine actually targets the mutation-resistant, stable sections of the virus as planned.
Another special feature is that the tested vaccine does not require a needle. The active ingredient is introduced directly through the skin using a fine jet of liquid under high pressure. The researchers emphasize that this method offers logistical advantages - especially for regions where there is a lack of unbroken cold chains or safe disposal systems for used syringes.
In order to find out how robust and long-lasting the protection actually is in everyday life, a larger phase 2 study is being prepared as the next step. The aim is to develop a universal vaccine that protects against known coronaviruses and at the same time forms a barrier against future pathogens that could jump from animals to humans - a threat that is still latent in the animal kingdom.
Saul Faust, clinical study leader from the University of Southampton, emphasizes the potential of the vaccine according to ZDF: "If we can develop this new class of vaccine and advance it clinically before a viral outbreak begins, millions of lives could be saved".
