Protecting our Most Vulnerable: Mitigating Influenza in Neonatal Populations
December 10, 2024 – Ames, Iowa – On a recent episode of the Nanovax Podcast, researchers discuss the status of research on neonatal influenza virus infections and how caregivers can currently protect those who are in this vulnerable population. Dr. Jennifer Bermick, Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Neonatology at the University of Iowa and Dr. Kevin L. Legge, Pathology Endowed Professor in Pulmonary Immunology Research, Vice Chair for Research in the Dept of Pathology, Professor of Pathology, and Director of the Immunology Graduate Program at the University of Iowa sat down with the Nanovaccine Institute to discuss the challenges to understanding the disease and the development of next generation, novel solutions to protect this high risk population.
The neonatal period, which is the first 28-day period of life for an infant, is a time when individuals are particularly vulnerable to influenza infections due to immature and dysregulated immune systems. These systems are absent of immune memory and pathogen-clearing capabilities. This is a time period where newborns are especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases such as influenza. Influenza in newborns can lead to serious illness, hospitalization, and death.
“The neonatal immune system is not able to effectively clear pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and lacks a robust immune memory because neonates don’t have the same antigen exposure as older children and adults,” says Dr. Bermick.
A solution is not yet available due to the number of challenges presented to researchers to complete a comprehensive study. There is limited knowledge of neonatal immunity due to the lack of robust models, the role of high-risk populations in clinical trials, and the need for more funding to scale production to build datasets and advance research to clinical trials.
Dr. Legge and Dr. Bermick, in collaboration with researchers at Iowa State University within the Nanovaccine Institute, are using polyanhydride nanoparticle-based technology to develop an influenza vaccine to protect the neonate with a sustained antigen release. Collaborators include Dr. Balaji Narsimhan, Director of the Nanovaccine Institute and Anson Marston Distinguished Professor and Vlasta Klima Balloun Faculty Chair in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University. Collaborative work on methods to protect against influenza among this team has spanned multiple years and multiple projects to tackle immunity and protection against influenza in many contexts ranging from the neonatal period to aging populations.
“The nanovaccine offers both T-cell and antibody-based immunity and mucosal protection, which could provide a much longer-term and robust protection against influenza,” says Dr. Narasimhan.
Research so far has demonstrated strong immune response in animal models. The studies have shown improved survival and lung function in neonatal mice and protection in pregnant mice.
“This influenza nanovaccine has amazing promise from our preclinical studies,” says Dr. Bermick. “I’m excited to continue the preclinical studies, [and to] move to larger animal models with the hopes to move into clinical trials eventually.”
Future goals for this research are to develop needle-free, room temperature-stable vaccines with broad immunity for populations currently underserved by available solutions. Next steps involve a transition to clinical trials following promising preclinical results.
“Ultimately, the goal for me is once we get approval for use of the vaccine in young adult populations is to transition the vaccine into currently underserved populations, like neonatal and pregnant individuals, so that we can provide the most robust type of mucosal based protection against flu going forward,” says Dr. Legge.
In the meantime, this team of researchers recommend the current protection methods to members of the public, which include immunizing pregnant individuals to transfer protective antibodies to the fetus. Following pregnancy, caretakers should stay up to date on influenza vaccines to reduce exposures to the virus. Generally, seasonal influenza can cause severe disease in children under 6 months of age as there is not a direct vaccine available to this age group.
Written by Hanna Bates, Research Administrator III