The cytomegalovirus (CMV) alphavaccine, which contains three gene targets from CMV, will first be tested in healthy volunteers before being testing in target populations such as solid organ transplant recipients. Enrollment of subjects will begin in February 2007.
The company is also initiating the first of several trials evaluating alphavaccines for influenza. The first alphavaccine for influenza contains the hemagglutinin gene from a single strain of influenza. Enrollment of subjects will begin in April 2007. Subsequent trials will test additional vaccine candidates for seasonal as well as potentially pandemic strains of influenza.
“These trials will expand on our previous clinical experience with an HIV vaccine to two additional indications, influenza and CMV,” said Jeff Chulay, AlphaVax's chief medical officer.
“Advancing three vaccines for three different indications into the clinic validates the original design of our platform technology, which can be used against many different diseases.”