New Approaches To Combat Flu…Coming Soon?

The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced the first laboratory confirmed case of influenza on October 24th, so it’s time to line up for your shot. This year’s vaccine will be delivered the same way as usual, but new research may change future practices.
First, we want to talk about the study, released October 26th by Sanofi-Aventis, that looked at high-dose influenza vaccine response among adults over 65 years of age, when compared with the standard influenza vaccine.

Study authors explain, however, that as people age, the immune system tends to weaken. Older adults become not only more susceptible to infections, but also less responsive to vaccination. When infected with the influenza virus, they are less able to mount an immune response to neutralize the attack. "Development of an influenza vaccine that will provide an improved immune response in older adults is important because this population has the highest rates of complications from influenza including hospitalization and death," said Ann R. Falsey, MD Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY; Infectious Diseases Unit, Rochester General Hospital. Approximately 90 percent of the 36,000 average annual influenza-associated respiratory and circulatory related deaths occur among adults 65 years of age and older.
The standard influenza vaccine contained 15 micrograms of hemagglutinin (HA) of each of three influenza strains, and the high-dose vaccine contained four times as much, 60 micrograms HA per strain. Both vaccines contained two influenza type A strains (H1N1 and H3N2) and one influenza type B strain.
Twenty-eight days after vaccination, a higher percentage of the subgroup given the high-dose vaccine developed seroprotective HAI titers of 1:40 or greater to each of the three vaccine strains compared with those given the standard vaccine. In addition, mean HAI titers for all strains were higher in the seronegative individuals who received the high-dose vaccine compared with those who received the standard vaccine.

On another front, NanoBio Corporation, a University of Michigan spinoff whose nanotechnology to deliver vaccines and pharmaceuticals transmucosally was profiled by us back in February, has just announced positive results from influenza vaccination trial:

“Our nanoemulsion-based intranasal vaccine adjuvant system represents a paradigm shift in vaccinology. It can be used to safely deliver multiple antigen types directly into the lining of the nasal mucosa, which is rich in dendritic cells that present the antigen(s) to the immune system,” said James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., founder and chairman of NanoBio Corp. “The nanoemulsion adjuvant uniquely interacts with these cells to trigger unparalleled mucosal and systemic immunity.”
“A large, unmet medical need still exists for protecting people from influenza infection,” Baker said. “The robust immunity and antigen-sparing capability demonstrated in this study are especially important for addressing this unmet need, as are the demands for a vaccine that would protect people in the face of a flu pandemic.”
NanoBio plans to begin a phase 1 clinical study for seasonal influenza in the first half of 2009 and is currently initiating preclinical studies in pandemic flu.

Sanofi-Aventis press release: High-Dose Influenza Vaccine Shows Increased Immune… (.pdf)
NanoBio press release: Nanoemulsion-based Intranasal Influenza…
Technology page: NanoStat™ Platform…
NanoBio Influenza Mucosal Vaccine Program…
Image credit: Wikipedia: Influenza…
UPDATE: NanoBio has more good news about its technology. Nanostat drug delivery emulsions also appear to be effective against other scourges that have infected mankind…yes, toenail fungus and cold sores! If interested, check these: Topical Treatment for Cold Sores Achieves Efficacy of Oral Drugs; Represents Paradigm Shift in the Treatment of Skin Infections …; NanoBio Demonstrates New Topical Approach to Treating Nail Fungus that Circumvents Problems of Current Therapy …