CLEVELAND — Cleveland Clinic researchers are developing a next-generation flu vaccine that could potentially eliminate the need for annual flu shots.

What You Need To Know

  • Cleveland Clinic researchers are working on a next-generation flu vaccine that aims to protect against all current and future strains of the virus

  • If successful, this vaccine could reduce the need for annual flu shots, potentially requiring only one shot every few years
  • The vaccine is set to enter clinical trials at the end of 2024, with hopes of providing long-lasting immunity and increasing vaccination rates

The vaccine, led by Dr. Ted Ross, director of Vaccine Development at Cleveland Clinic, is designed to offer protection against all current and future strains of the flu virus. The innovative approach could mean that people might only need a flu shot every few years rather than annually.

Ross believes this convenience may encourage more people to get vaccinated.

"This vaccine was designed using computers to determine the most important parts of the flu virus that can be put into a vaccine," Ross said. "It would stimulate an immune response that protects not only against circulating strains, that we get every year, but also against emerging strains like the new bird flu strains that have appeared in North America in 2024."

While the vaccine holds promise for long-term flu prevention, it won't completely eradicate the virus, as flu strains also circulate in animals.

Clinical trials for the vaccine are set to begin at the end of 2024.