Clec9a-targeting platform to develop a nasal pan-sarbeco booster vaccine

Prof. Alonso presents a vaccine platform (Clec9A) that delivers antigens directly to cDC1 cells, enabling strong CD8, CD4, and B cell responses. Using this approach, her team has created an RBD-based COVID-19 booster that produced more durable and broader neutralizing antibody responses than the bivalent mRNA vaccine, especially when reformulated as the “Clec9A Omni” construct. Notably, intranasal delivery induced robust systemic and mucosal immunity, including cross-reactive B and T cells with sustained protection. This plug-and-go antibody-based platform shows promise for pandemic preparedness, with upcoming trials in non-human primates.