Safety and Immunogenicity of Live Influenza A Vaccine for Avian Influenza H7N7

Summary

Every year the human population suffers from seasonal outbreaks of influenza resulting in both illness and death. However, the rates of illness and death from seasonal outbreaks are significantly lower than those suffered during times of influenza pandemic, such as those experienced in 1918, 1957, and 1968. The reason for this difference lies in presence of immunity within a population. With seasonal outbreaks of influenza most people have some immunity to the circulating strain and usually only those with weakened immune systems experience serious complications. Influenza pandemics, in contrast, are the result of a completely new viral subtype to which nobody possesses an immunity, leaving everyone vulnerable to the most serious of complications. It has been estimated that the next flu pandemic could cause over 200,000 deaths and over 700,000 hospitalizations in the US alone. The need for an effective viral vaccine is high. The purpose of this study is to test the safety and immunogenicity of a live influenza A strain vaccine, which would be able to combat an influenza pandemic.

Timeline

Start

2010-07

Primary completion

2012-01

Completion

2012-01

Publications

• Background Kelly H, Carville K, Grant K, Jacoby P, Tran T, Barr I. Estimation of influenza vaccine effectiveness from routine surveillance data. PLoS One. 2009;4(3):e5079. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005079. Epub 2009 Mar 31.
• Background Roose K, Fiers W, Saelens X. Pandemic preparedness: toward a universal influenza vaccine. Drug News Perspect. 2009 Mar;22(2):80-92. doi: 10.1358/dnp.2009.22.2.1334451.
• Background Schwehm M, Wilson N. Potential impact of pandemic influenza interventions in New Zealand: a brief modelling study. N Z Med J. 2009 Mar 13;122(1291):117-21. No abstract available.

Drugs

Indications