Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Ab Osterhaus from Holland told this on the radio this morning: we invented an adjuvent to add to an existing vaccine making it stronger. You need very little vaccine per dose. Also cross immunity for different strains.
Acambis reports positive data from trials of universal influenza A vaccine
3 January 2008
Cambridge, UK and Cambridge, Massachusetts ? 3 January 2008 ? Acambis plc (Acambis) (LSE: ACM), a leading vaccine development company, announces preliminary results from a Phase 1 clinical trial and a pre-clinical challenge study of its ACAM-FLU-A? vaccine.
ACAM-FLU-A? is a recombinant vaccine linked to a Hepatitis B core protein. It targets M2e, a conserved region of all influenza ?A' strains. This approach could overcome the need for annual vaccine reformulations and, since all pandemic influenza strains are type ?A', it could also be a potential vaccine against pandemics.
The Phase 1 trial of ACAM-FLU-A? evaluated the vaccine's safety and ability to generate an immune response. The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at multiple centres in the US and involved 79 subjects. The study consisted of four arms ? ACAM-FLU-A? alone, ACAM-FLU-A? plus aluminium hydroxide adjuvant, ACAM-FLU-A? plus QS-21 adjuvant and placebo ? and the subjects received two doses. QS-21 Stimulon? adjuvant is an investigational adjuvant (immune stimulant) provided under an option agreement with Antigenics Inc., which has recently been converted to a non-exclusive licence and supply agreement.
The trial results demonstrate that ACAM-FLU-A? is well tolerated and immunogenic. Whilst immune responses were seen in all vaccinated groups, the highest immune responses occurred in the group vaccinated with ACAM-FLU-A? plus QS-21. In this group, 90% of subjects seroconverted.
In parallel with the Phase 1 trial, Acambis has conducted a pre-clinical study to test whether an M2e-based vaccine could protect against the Vietnam 2004 strain(1) of H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu). The H5N1 virus was lethal in the placebo-treated group, whereas 70% of those in the group vaccinated with the M2e-based vaccine from the same influenza strain were protected.
Acambis plans to submit these results for publication in due course.
Ian Garland, Chief Executive Officer of Acambis, said:
?We are very excited about these new data and believe that this highly innovative vaccine could be very attractive in such a competitive field. We will explore partnering in parallel with continued development of ACAM-FLU-A?.'
Michael Watson, Acambis' Executive Vice President, Research & Development, added:
?M2e is one of the most discussed new approaches for influenza vaccination. These are exciting data as they show that our ACAM-FLU-A? vaccine can generate a robust M2e antibody response and that M2e-based vaccines can protect against H5N1 avian influenza. We believe that these results confirm we have an approach worthy of further development.'
Influenza is a major global threat, which the WHO estimates causes between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths every year around the world(2). Currently, influenza vaccines are reformulated each year to address virus mutations.
Acambis' vaccine candidate, which is protected by extensive intellectual property, was developed using technology licensed from VIB that was invented by Walter Fiers, Emeritus Professor of the VIB Department for Molecular Biomedical Research at the University of Ghent, Belgium.
http://www.acambis.com/default.asp?id=2039
Acambis reports positive data from trials of universal influenza A vaccine
3 January 2008
Cambridge, UK and Cambridge, Massachusetts ? 3 January 2008 ? Acambis plc (Acambis) (LSE: ACM), a leading vaccine development company, announces preliminary results from a Phase 1 clinical trial and a pre-clinical challenge study of its ACAM-FLU-A? vaccine.
ACAM-FLU-A? is a recombinant vaccine linked to a Hepatitis B core protein. It targets M2e, a conserved region of all influenza ?A' strains. This approach could overcome the need for annual vaccine reformulations and, since all pandemic influenza strains are type ?A', it could also be a potential vaccine against pandemics.
The Phase 1 trial of ACAM-FLU-A? evaluated the vaccine's safety and ability to generate an immune response. The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at multiple centres in the US and involved 79 subjects. The study consisted of four arms ? ACAM-FLU-A? alone, ACAM-FLU-A? plus aluminium hydroxide adjuvant, ACAM-FLU-A? plus QS-21 adjuvant and placebo ? and the subjects received two doses. QS-21 Stimulon? adjuvant is an investigational adjuvant (immune stimulant) provided under an option agreement with Antigenics Inc., which has recently been converted to a non-exclusive licence and supply agreement.
The trial results demonstrate that ACAM-FLU-A? is well tolerated and immunogenic. Whilst immune responses were seen in all vaccinated groups, the highest immune responses occurred in the group vaccinated with ACAM-FLU-A? plus QS-21. In this group, 90% of subjects seroconverted.
In parallel with the Phase 1 trial, Acambis has conducted a pre-clinical study to test whether an M2e-based vaccine could protect against the Vietnam 2004 strain(1) of H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu). The H5N1 virus was lethal in the placebo-treated group, whereas 70% of those in the group vaccinated with the M2e-based vaccine from the same influenza strain were protected.
Acambis plans to submit these results for publication in due course.
Ian Garland, Chief Executive Officer of Acambis, said:
?We are very excited about these new data and believe that this highly innovative vaccine could be very attractive in such a competitive field. We will explore partnering in parallel with continued development of ACAM-FLU-A?.'
Michael Watson, Acambis' Executive Vice President, Research & Development, added:
?M2e is one of the most discussed new approaches for influenza vaccination. These are exciting data as they show that our ACAM-FLU-A? vaccine can generate a robust M2e antibody response and that M2e-based vaccines can protect against H5N1 avian influenza. We believe that these results confirm we have an approach worthy of further development.'
Influenza is a major global threat, which the WHO estimates causes between 250,000 and 500,000 deaths every year around the world(2). Currently, influenza vaccines are reformulated each year to address virus mutations.
Acambis' vaccine candidate, which is protected by extensive intellectual property, was developed using technology licensed from VIB that was invented by Walter Fiers, Emeritus Professor of the VIB Department for Molecular Biomedical Research at the University of Ghent, Belgium.
http://www.acambis.com/default.asp?id=2039
