Altea Therapeutics and the CDC sign agreement for evaluating novel approaches to the delivery of influenza vaccines

Delivery of influenza antigens to immune cells near the skin surface

28-Aug-2003

Altea Therapeutics announced that it has entered into a 2 year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate the Altea Therapeutics PassPort (TM) delivery system for the delivery of influenza antigens to immune cells near the skin surface.

Under the Agreement, scientists at the CDC and at Altea Therapeutics will evaluate the use of the PassPort system to deliver influenza protein and gene-based antigens to induce, augment and/or broaden the overall protective immune response to influenza viruses of similar or different subtypes. Work performed under the CRADA will evaluate this novel vaccine delivery strategy in animal models. Principal investigators for the CRADA are Rick Bright, Ph.D., leader of Altea Therapeutics vaccine project, and Jacqueline Katz, Ph.D., Immunology Section Chief of the Influenza Branch at the CDC, who states, "We are pleased to work with Altea Therapeutics on the feasibility of delivering influenza vaccine into the skin without the use of needles.

This approach has great potential for improving the efficacy and compliance of influenza vaccination." According to the CDC, approximately 10% to 20% of U.S. residents get influenza each year, with an average of about 36,000 deaths and 114,000 hospitalizations per year resulting from influenza, with elderly adults particularly susceptible.

Although current influenza vaccines are 70% to 90% effective in preventing symptoms in young, healthy individuals, the vaccine effectiveness can be as low as 30% to 40% in the elderly. "The skin has remarkable potential for vaccine inoculation," stated Dr. Eric Tomlinson, Chief Executive Officer of Altea Therapeutics. "The epidermis possesses a potent immune system, rich in Langerhans cells - antigen presenting cells key in creating an immune response. Intramuscular injections currently in use for influenza vaccines typically deliver vaccine to the muscle tissue. The Altea Therapeutics PassPort system has the potential for delivering vaccines directly into the region of the epidermis where they will have the greatest impact."

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/28029/altea-therapeutics-and-the-cdc-sign-agreement-for-evaluating-novel-approaches-to-the-delivery-of-influenza-vaccines.html