This morning’s session of the Santander Biomedical Lectures program, organized by the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), featured a presentation by researcher Adolfo García-Sastre, who delivered a lecture titled “A vaccine platform based on avian paramyxovirus / Una plataforma vacunal basada en paramixovirus de aves.” During his talk, the expert outlined the development of an innovative vaccine platform based on an avian virus, emphasizing its potential to respond to future pandemics.
García-Sastre, a professor in the Departments of Microbiology, Medicine, and Pathology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, as well as director of the Institute for Global Health and Emerging Pathogens, has an extensive background in the study of RNA viruses, innate immunity, and vaccine development. He studied Biology at the University of Salamanca, where he earned his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and began his research career in the United States in 1991. Over more than three decades, he has published over 800 scientific papers and developed more than 40 patents.
In his lecture, he explained how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the validation of new vaccine platforms: “During that time, various platforms that had not previously been used for vaccination were validated, and we now have many more possibilities should another pandemic occur.”
Simple and cost-effective production
His research centers on the Newcastle disease virus, an avian paramyxovirus that primarily affects birds but does not cause disease in humans. This virus has key characteristics for use as a vaccine vector: it is safe, does not integrate into human DNA, and there is no pre-existing immunity in the population. Additionally, it is simple and inexpensive to produce, as it can be grown in chicken eggs, similar to some influenza vaccines.
The researcher highlighted that this virus can be genetically modified to express proteins from other pathogens. In this way, it becomes a flexible platform capable of generating immunity against different diseases. As he explained, “It is easy to manipulate, to make recombinant viruses that express an additional protein,” which facilitates its adaptation to new emerging viruses.
The first results were obtained in birds, where dual vaccines were developed capable of protecting both against Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza. In experimental trials, vaccinated animals showed complete protection against infections, with no detectable virus after exposure.
Beyond its application in birds, García-Sastre emphasized the potential of this platform in humans. Among its advantages are its strong immunogenic capacity and the possibility of intranasal administration, which could improve protection against respiratory viruses by acting directly on mucosal surfaces.
The researcher explained that this strong immune response is due to the virus inducing a robust activation of the innate immune system in mammals without causing disease. This allows for an effective response with low levels of viral replication, increasing the safety of the approach.
The platform has also been evaluated against other viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2. In the latter case, vaccine prototypes were developed that combine features of RNA vaccines and recombinant protein vaccines, as they allow both intracellular expression of the antigen and its incorporation into the viral surface.
The session concluded by highlighting the importance of having versatile and scalable technologies to address future health crises. According to García-Sastre, the platform based on avian paramyxoviruses represents a promising alternative within the available arsenal of vaccine tools.
