The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7390 p257
4 March 2006

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Human trials for promising influenza vaccine planned

Genetically engineered adenoviral-based influenza vaccine being developed at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine was successful in fending off fatal avian influenza infections in both mice and chickens, researcher Andrea Gambotto, told the Bird Flu Summit in Washington, DC, earlier this week. Dr Gambotto is planning human trials to assess the vaccine's safety.

The vaccine is manufactured using cell-based technology and so can be produced quickly. It also creates a broad immune response that could work even with antigen drift. Animal tests showed that immunised mice lost weight when infected with bird flu but still survived the potentially fatal disease.

Possible safety concerns in humans include problems treating individuals with pre-existing immunity and for those with immunosuppression, Dr Gambotto said.