Published: 21 August 2024
Researchers at City St George’s, University of London are collaborating with colleagues from the University of Oxford who are leading a new trial for a two-in-one vaccine to prevent respiratory viruses.
The phase 1 study aims to test two investigational mRNA vaccines developed by Moderna: one for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and a second for RSV alone, in infants aged five to eight months old.
Professor Paul Heath, Director of the St George’s Institute for Infection and Immunity, is leading the trial at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is one of seven study locations in the UK.
Globally, RSV infects up to 90 per cent of children within the first two years of life and frequently reinfects older children and adults. For most people, RSV causes a mild respiratory illness however in some infants, RSV can cause bronchiolitis which leads to the inflammation of the small airways and significant breathing difficulties. In the UK, approximately 1 in 50 children under one year of age are admitted to hospital due to RSV infections.
Closely related to RSV, hMPV is a respiratory pathogen, associated with a range of illnesses from mild infection to severe bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
“RSV and hMPV are two of the leading causes of respiratory infections in children, the elderly and immunocompromised patients worldwide. This trial is an important early step in the development of a paediatric vaccine against RSV and hMPV.”
- Professor Paul Heath, Director of the Institute for Infection and Immunity and Principal Investigator at St George's -
mRNA vaccines work by using a small piece of messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct cells in the body to produce a protein that triggers an immune response. The immune system retains a memory of this protein, so if the person is later exposed to the actual virus, their body can quickly recognise and combat it.
This is the first time a vaccine has been created to potentially combat RSV and hMPV together, both of which can cause severe infection and painful symptoms.
The Rhyme study aims to enrol approximately 60 paediatric participants between five and eight months old, across the seven sites in the UK. Across the two-year study, each participant will receive three injections, 56 days apart.
This research is being sponsored by Moderna, and is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network Thames Valley and South Midlands.
Learn more about the trial and how to participate