RE: Blue in a sea of red12 Mar 2020 13:01
Open Orphan joint-venture's flu trial showcased in peer reviewed journal
The article concluded the vaccine is immunogenic (able to produce an immune response) and “merits phase III development to explore efficacy”
The results from a clinical trial of a broad-spectrum flu jab being developed by an Open Orphan PLC (LON:ORPH) joint-venture have been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The data from the FLU-v 003 IIb study of the FLU-v vaccine appeared in the Annals of Internal Medicine periodical.
The new potential treatment was created by scientists at Imutex, which is 49%-owned by Open Orphan subsidiary hVIVO.
The journal article concluded the vaccine is immunogenic (able to produce an immune response) and “merits phase III development to explore efficacy”.
With a “compelling data package” from two phase II trials, Imutex is scheduling meetings with the US and European regulatory authorities to plot a development pathway for FLU-v, Open Orphan said.
The advantage of FLU-v over the seasonal flu vaccine is its composition, which will remain the same year after year, said chief executive Trevor Phillips.
As it is manufactured synthetically, it can be made year-round, increasing the number of doses available worldwide, he added.
“It will not be subject to a strict vaccination window as is the case with seasonal flu vaccines,” the Open Orphan CEO explained.
“Also, being a universal vaccine, it should provide protection against new strains of flu virus which the seasonal flu vaccine is not able to do.”
Chairman Cathal Friel said the market potential for a broad-spectrum universal influenza vaccine was “significant”.
He added: “[It] has become increasingly important and valuable in recent weeks when governments around the world are finally waking up and realising that universal flu vaccines need to be commercialised and there must be a better way forward than reliance on the traditional annual flu vaccination process which has variable efficacy, offers little protection against emerging strains and is available in limited quantities.
“A universal flu vaccine can and should be targeted at the entire population base.”