Flu could be cured forever as vaccine might give life-long protection

A new flu vaccine being developed in Germany may be able to prevent the flu permanently through developing new cures more rapidly.

Researchers at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut found that a vaccine based on the molecule related to DNA works on animals, said Reuters.

The new finding could speed up the development of new vaccines for the flu to weeks rather than months.

Finding a rapid cure for the flu each season is critical given the ever-changing character of the virus.

The New Scientist reported that flu vaccines are usually created from chicken eggs, which involves lengthy virus cultivation.

The new technique involves the messenger RNA (mRNA), a single-stranded molecule that controls the creation of proteins.

"The only thing we need is the sequence of the relevant genes," Lothar Stitz, the study author, told Reuters.

"It's a new option and it doesn't take long to do."

The researchers estimate that using this technique would allow scientists to create a new vaccine within six to eight weeks of cracking the virus' genetic code.

Another advantage is that mRNA do not need to be refrigerated.

The study was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.