Favourable West Nile vaccine results
Friday, 27 February, 2009
Early results from a Phase I safety and efficacy trial of a West Nile virus vaccine, being developed by Acuvax’s US affiliate Hawaii Biotech, are “stunning”, the company said.
The results will enable an easier roll-out for a dengue fever vaccine, Acuvax’s CEO Dr William Ardrey said in a statement.
Hawaii Biotech, a private company in which Acuvax has a substantial shareholding, is trialling its vaccine in 24 healthy volunteers to check safety and antibody development.
All volunteers showed the presence of neutralizing antibodies. The vaccine is based on a proprietary recombinant DNA technology platform, which is being used by Hawaii to develop a vaccine for dengue fever, as well as candidates for malaria, tick-borne encephalitis virus and flu.
The company will now begin trials in children, the elderly and immuno-compromised patients.
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