MedImmune, NIH begin enrollment in phase 1 study of bird flu vaccine

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., June 15 - MedImmune, Inc. said The National Institutes of Health began enrolling participants in a phase 1 study of a live, attenuated intranasal H5N1 influenza (bird flu) vaccine candidate.

MedImmune is developing the vaccine with the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The open-label phase 1 trial is designed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the H5N1 vaccine in about 20 healthy individuals from 18 to 49 years of age.

"We believe that our influenza vaccine technology may provide several advantages over the flu shot that will be critically important in protecting people against a pandemic influenza virus," research and development president James F. Young said in a company news release.

A phase 3 clinical study showed that MedImmune's influenza vaccine, CAIV-T, was 89% more effective than the flu shot in reducing influenza illness caused by matched H1N1 A strains and 79% more effective against mismatched H3N2 A strains.

The company received a $170-million contract from the U.S. Health and Human Services Department for the development of its flu vaccine.

Located in Gaithersburg, Md., MedImmune is focused on infectious diseases, cancer and inflammatory diseases.

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