Vaxefectin produces dose-sparing effect in animal study

San Francisco, USA-based biopharmaceutical firm Vical says that an influenza vaccine formulated to include its Vaxfectin adjuvant, namely French group Sanofi Pasteur's Fluzone, generated a 60-fold increase in antibody response in a recently-completed preclinical study. The company added that inclusion of its lipid-based adjuvant had also resulted in a 10-fold reduction in the dosage of vaccine required to generate a protective immune response in mouse models of the infection.

Vaxefectin, Vical explained, was originally designed to increase the immunogenecity of DNA vaccines. However, the Fluzone data indicates that the adjuvant has the potential to provide a dose-sparing effect when added to currently-available vaccines, thereby increasing the likely coverage of government stockpiles.

Preclinical flu vaccine provides 100% protection