The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has succeeded in proving the efficacy and safety of a recombinant protein NANO vaccine, which is more effective than the existing tuberculosis (BCG) vaccine, known as 'the no-shot.' This marks a positive signal for the development of a new vaccine for tuberculosis prevention.
The National Health Research Institute of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on 1st that the candidate recombinant protein NANO vaccine developed in collaboration with the Korea Ceramic Technology Institute showed a stronger immune response and infection prevention effect than the existing BCG vaccine. This research result was published in the international journal 'Cell Communication and Signaling' on April 1.
The new vaccine candidate developed by the research team utilized gene recombination technology to create a recombinant protein vaccine that mimics virus-like antigens, incorporating NANO technology. The key is a new delivery system called 'temperature-responsive nanoparticles.'
These nanoparticles exist in solid form at room temperature but gradually release the contained antigens when they reach body temperature. This allows immune cells to maintain a prolonged response, enhancing the vaccine's efficacy. This material is made from a biodegradable substance approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In fact, as a result of applying this technology to tuberculosis vaccines, the immune cell response of T cells was activated, showing superior defense effects against tuberculosis bacteria compared to the existing BCG vaccine or the method administering only the antigen.
Tuberculosis remains an important respiratory infectious disease globally. Currently, the only vaccine available is the BCG vaccine, known as 'the no-shot.' It is recommended for all newborns within one month of age as an essential medicine; however, while effective for infants, its preventive effect is diminished for teenagers and adults, who account for about 90% of tuberculosis infections. Additionally, the complete reliance on imports creates supply instability domestically depending on the situation in the exporting countries. This underscores the urgent need for new vaccine development.
This study is a result of combining the temperature-responsive nanoparticle technology from the Korea Ceramic Technology Institute and the vaccine development capabilities of the National Health Research Institute. The nanoparticles are made of PLA (Polylactic acid), a biodegradable plastic approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and pluronic F127. They play a role in gradually delivering drugs or antigens.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency plans to utilize this technology not only for recombinant proteins but also across various vaccine platforms, including messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines. The aim is to establish a technological base that can respond quickly when emerging infectious diseases occur.
Kim Do-geun, head of the Public Vaccine Development Support Center, said, “In addition to delivery systems, we will continue to secure the core technological elements of vaccines, such as immune adjuvants, platforms, and antigen optimization, to establish a foundation for responding to new and variant infectious diseases with domestic technology.”
References
Cell Communication and Signaling (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-025-02105-2