Vaccines for whooping cough could improve following research published April 2 by UT and other global researchers specifically focused on two antibodies that target the infection’s toxins. 

The research focuses on how two antibodies, hu11E6 and hu1B7, neutralize the pertussis toxin, which is a contributing factor to the bacteria that causes whooping cough. Hu11E6 blocks the toxin from attaching to human cells by interfering with binding sites, while hu1B7 prevents the toxin from entering cells and causing damage. 

“These are the first two antibodies that we actually know where they bind, and they are also by far the most protective antibodies,” said Jennifer Maynard, a professor in chemical engineering and author of the study. “We’ve done studies with baboons that showed we can take a newborn baby baboon, give them our antibodies, six weeks later infect them, and we can completely protect them from all symptoms.” 

The new research helps pinpoint the exact spots on the toxin that allow vaccines to block its effects, said Annalee Nguyen, a research assistant professor in chemical engineering and co-author of the study. 

“Pertussis has a lot of different targets on its surface that can lead to disease with whooping cough,” Nguyen said. “In order to prevent the major symptoms of whooping cough disease, you need to understand exactly which targets are responsible for the horrible cough.” 

Maynard said that while current whooping cough vaccines are effective, they have limitations. 

“(The current vaccine) is a really good vaccine in terms of protecting babies from symptoms, but it does not do a great job of stopping the bacteria from spreading to different people (and) the protection does not last as long as we would like,” Maynard said. 

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported almost 1,100 whooping cough cases in 2025 as of April 14, with a little over 1,900 cases reported in 2024. Across the state and the country, cases are returning to pre-pandemic levels. 

“Though we want to make even better vaccines, we want to make sure we also encourage people to make use of the vaccines that we already have available because they’re also quite protective,” Nguyen said.