This could be big. I've read the paper and they seem to have covered all the variables. Of course, there's lots more to be analyzed: how robust and safe is the immune response in humans being first and foremost. I will keep an eye out for updates on the Phase 1 trials!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38270378/ns ... d_and_flu/ Two-step vaccine may offer 'universal' flu jab
Team of researchers already testing the new shot in people
by Maggie Fox Health and Science Editor
updated 7/15/2010 7:30:47 PM ET
A two-step flu vaccine using DNA to "prime" the immune system and then a traditional seasonal influenza vaccine may be able to protect against all strains of the virus — providing a long-sought "universal" flu vaccine, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
The team at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is already testing the new vaccine in people and says the results of tests in mice, ferrets and monkeys suggest the industry may finally be able to dump the cumbersome process of making fresh flu vaccines every year.
"They are already well into, at least a full year into, a Phase 1 trial."
Such trials are meant to see if a new drug or vaccine is safe in people. A larger, Phase 2 trial could start next year, Fauci said.
The paper:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/rapidpdf/ ... 2517v1.pdf Induction of Broadly Neutralizing H1N1 Influenza Antibodies by Vaccination
Chih-Jen Wei,1 Jeffrey C. Boyington,1 Patrick M. McTamney,1 Wing-Pui Kong,1 Melissa B. Pearce,2 Ling Xu,1 Hanne
Andersen,3 Srinivas Rao,1 Terrence M. Tumpey,2 Zhi-Yong Yang,1 Gary J. Nabel1*
Here, we show that vaccination with plasmid DNA encoding H1N1 influenza hemagglutinin (HA) and boosting with seasonal vaccine or replication-defective adenovirus 5 (rAd5) vector encoding HA stimulated the production of broadly neutralizing influenza antibodies. This prime-boost combination increased neutralization of diverse H1N1 strains from 1934 to 2007 compared to either component alone and conferred protection against divergent H1N1 viruses in mice and ferrets.
Immune sera from mice immunized with H1 HA DNA/vaccine or DNA/rAd5 HA also neutralized other group 1 influenza strains such as H2N2 and H5N1 viruses (fig. S2), indicating this prime/boost immunization strategy broadens neutralization beyond the H1N1 subtype.
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