Overview
- The candidate uses antibiotic‑inactivated whole Bordetella pertussis delivered through the nose to trigger T‑cell‑driven mucosal immunity without unwanted systemic inflammation.
- In preclinical mouse studies, the approach fully protected lungs and nasal passages and reduced bacterial colonization relative to current acellular vaccines.
- Researchers report reduced transmission in the mouse model, addressing a key limitation of existing whooping cough vaccines that do not reliably prevent nasal or throat colonization.
- The team describes the no‑needle formulation as a potential mucosal platform that could be adapted for other respiratory bacterial pathogens.
- The findings were published in Nature Microbiology, and the preclinical program is progressing with support from Research Ireland’s ARC Hub for Therapeutics co‑funded by the Irish government and the EU.