The Independent newspaper reviewed this and suggested that researchers at MIT favour that their Trojan horse delivery system will activate a strong immune response in the cells lining the airways to attack the virus as soon as it lands.
The team have successfully tested their delivery system for the smallpox virus in mice and now are turning their attention to Coronavirus.
Unlike the existing nasal spray for flu, which uses live vaccine, the researchers used peptide proteins which mimicked the virus.
Whilst peptide vaccines are safer and easier to produce, it is more difficult for them to cross the mucosal barrier in the throat and lungs and thus spark an immune response.
The researchers attempted to solve this problem by using natural albumin proteins found in the bloodstream as a chaperone for the vaccine.
They attached a string of fat molecules, which bind to albumin, to a peptide smallpox vaccine and delivered it to mice by the throat.
The researchers found that the inhaled vaccine led to a 25 fold increase in T cells and concluded that their findings lay the groundwork for further developments of amphiphilic mucosal vaccines delivered by aerosol.
Researchers in the United Kingdom have also announced that they are testing an inhaled version of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine in order to determine whether it is safe and effective.
The London General Practice commends the Government on its vaccine delivery programme and encourages all to have vaccination when offered.
Dr Paul Ettlinger
BM, DRCOG, FRCGP, FRIPH, DOccMed