Bold claim: a new nasal vaccine could dramatically cut whooping cough transmission by stopping Bordetella pertussis in its tracks. But here’s where it gets controversial: can an intranasal shot really prevent colonisation enough to curb spread in real-world settings? And this is the part most people miss—the study specifically used a controlled human infection model in healthy adults, which may not fully reflect typical community dynamics. Here’s a clear, expanded rewrite of the original report with added warmth, accessibility, and thoughtful hooks.
A Novel Intranasal Vaccine Shows Promise Against Whooping Cough
The BPZE1 intranasal vaccine candidate has demonstrated encouraging results in reducing or nearly eliminating colonisation by Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium responsible for whooping cough. The findings come from a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2b trial conducted at University Hospital Southampton and the University of Oxford. The trial aimed to assess both safety and efficacy in healthy adults aged 18–50 years.
BPZE1 Reduces Colonisation by Bordetella pertussis
In this study, 53 participants were enrolled. All participants were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and individuals who had recently received a pertussis vaccination or infection were excluded to avoid confounding effects. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a single intranasal dose of BPZE1 at 10^9 CFU (colony-forming units) or a placebo. After 60–120 days, all participants underwent a controlled challenge with virulent B. pertussis. Researchers collected nasal washes and blood samples to monitor bacterial colonisation and the immune response.
Results showed that in the modified intention-to-treat population, 58% of BPZE1 recipients had no detectable colonisation at days 9, 11, and 14 after challenge, compared with 33% in the placebo group. Among those who received a sufficiently high challenge dose, 60% of BPZE1 recipients remained free of detectable B. pertussis versus 25% in the placebo group. This difference reached statistical significance, indicating a meaningful reduction in colonisation with BPZE1.
Safety and Tolerability
The vaccine was generally well tolerated. Most participants experienced only mild adverse events, such as nasal irritation or headaches. No serious adverse events or trial discontinuations occurred. Unsolicited adverse events occurred at comparable rates in both the BPZE1 and placebo groups, suggesting a favorable safety profile in this early-stage setting.
Implications for Pertussis Prevention
BPZE1’s ability to prevent colonisation highlights its potential to reduce transmission of whooping cough, addressing a gap left by current pertussis vaccines that do not fully curb spread. With a favorable safety profile and encouraging efficacy signals, BPZE1 merits progression to larger phase 3 trials to confirm these findings in more diverse populations and real-world conditions.
For healthcare professionals, these results mark a significant step forward in pertussis prevention. A successful intranasal vaccine could offer a noninvasive, readout-friendly option that protects individuals and helps communities reduce whooping cough transmission.
Reference
Gbesemete D, et al. Efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of the live attenuated nasal pertussis vaccine BPZE1 in the UK: a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2b trial using a controlled human infection model with virulent Bordetella pertussis. Lancet Microbe. 2025; DOI:10.1016/j.lanmic.2025.101211.
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Each article is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
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