European expert consortium combines forces to develop a novel pandemic influenza vaccine
A consortium of experts in the field of human virus research and vaccine development have joined forces to develop a novel pandemic influenza vaccine as a potential emergency vaccination. The four-year project has been awarded a grant of EUR3.5 million from the European Union to help fund the research and the development of the new vaccine. The so-called FluVac project will be coordinated by Nobilon International BV which is part of Organon, the human healthcare business unit of Akzo Nobel.
The recent epidemic of a new pathogenic strain of H5N1 influenza in birds in Asia has fuelled further concerns about a potential pandemic influenza outbreak. In the event of an influenza pandemic, large quantities of a highly effective vaccine will be needed on short notice. A European consortium consisting of Nobilon International BV (the Netherlands), Protherics PLC (United Kingdom), Retroscreen Virology Ltd (United Kingdom), Erasmus Medical Centre (the Netherlands) and Landspitali University Hospital (Iceland) has agreed to collaborate on the development of such a vaccine. The collaboration takes advantage of complementary expertise and technology of these renowned parties.
Non-clinical studies with a novel H5N1 vaccine developed by Nobilon and containing CoVaccine HT(TM), a powerful adjuvant from Protherics, have produced encouraging results to date. This has resulted in the successful application of an EU grant to develop this promising vaccine through proof-of-concept in phase I and II clinical trials. Upon successful achievement of proof-of-concept, the consortium intends to pursue further clinical development.
Dr. Luuk Hilgers, scientific coordinator for the project on behalf of Nobilon, stated: "In the event of an influenza pandemic, vaccination will play a key role in its control. Therefore, availability of a sufficient number of vaccine doses will be critical. In this project, we will exploit the potency of the adjuvant to potentiate immunity and to reduce the antigen dose required per vaccination."
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