By FIONA MACRAE

Last updated at 00:25 18 June 2007

British scientists are

developing a vaccine to

give lifelong protection

against all strains of flu.

It would deal with everything

from a winter virus to a bird flu

outbreak.

Current flu jabs are out of date

within a year because the virus

mutates so often.

The new FLU-v vaccine is also

easier to make than traditional

jabs, so it could be stockpiled

against a global pandemic.

Flu kills up to 12,000 Britons a

year, many of them elderly. A

pandemic of the human form of

bird flu – which many experts

say is inevitable – could claim

700,000 lives in the UK alone.

It is hoped the first human

trials of FLU-v will start next year. If

they go well, it could be on the

market in three to five years.

Dr Stuart Robinson of the

Buckinghamshire company PepTcell,

which developed the vaccine,

said: "We expect one course of

injections – probably of two a

week apart – to give life-long

immunity".

Existing flu jabs focus on a pair

of proteins on the surface of the

virus. These constantly mutate,

however, making it impossible to

prepare in advance for each

new strain.

The new vaccine is based on

other proteins, common to all

strains of the virus, which have

not mutated for 60 years.

Rather than using antibodies

to kill the virus, the new jab

relies on the power of other

immune system cells called

cytotoxic T cells.

Lab tests have shown that FLUvcan save mice given a dose of

flu that would normally kill

them. Results being presented

at a Toronto conference today

show that more than half the

treated mice survived.

Unvaccinated creatures died.

The mice

had been genetically altered to

give them human-like immune

systems – encouraging hopes

the jab will work on people.

FLU-v can also be produced

quickly and in bulk.

Conventional jabs are grown in hen's

eggs – a slow process that yields

only one shot per egg.

A universal flu jab is the 'holy

grail' of researchers, potentially

worth a fortune. At least two

other companies – British-based

Acambis and the Swiss firm Cytos

– are also working on vaccines.

Expert reaction was mixed last

night. Professor Hugh

Pennington, emeritus professor at

Aberdeen University, said: "We

are in real need of new types of

vaccine. Anything that gives a

more rapid response would be

of great interest."

But virologist Professor Ian

Jones, of the University of

Reading, warned that an HIV vaccine

based on similar principles had

failed. He said T cells mop up

virus-infected cells, but

questioned whether they could

guard against infection.

"We all have flu T cells from

previous infections," said

Professor Jones, "yet we still get

seasonal flu."

Professor Malcolm McCrae of

Warwick University said the

vaccine could wear off more quickly

than a normal jab, but might be

a useful short-term measure

against a totally new strain.