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news.Acambis says it has initiated a Phase I clinical trial of its universal influenza vaccine candidate, ACAM-FLU-A.
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ACAM-FLU-A is designed to target all ‘A’ strains of the influenza virus. As such, it has the potential to be both a universal pandemic influenza vaccine and part of a universal seasonal vaccine, Acambis claims.
Historically, influenza pandemics have been caused by ‘A’ strains of the virus while seasonal vaccines target both ‘A’ and ‘B’ strains of the virus.
The Phase I trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre trial in the US, with up to 80 healthy subjects between 18 and 40 years being enrolled.
The trial will investigate ACAM-FLU-A’s safety, tolerability and ability to generate an immune response. It will also assess two adjuvants or “immune stimulants’ to determine whether they improve the effect of the vaccine on the immune system.
ACAM-FLU-A is the first vaccine candidate being developed under Acambis’ influenza program. It is a recombinant vaccine that uses a hepatitis B core protein to deliver M2e, the extracellular domain of the ion channel protein M2. Being highly conserved, M2e is intended to elicit immune responses to all influenza ‘A’ strains.
Results from the trial are expected at the end of the year.