Dynavax Presents Data From Novel Universal Flu Vaccine Candidate

Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Immune System / Vaccines;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 08 May 2009 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq:DVAX) announced the presentation of preclinical data from its novel Universal Flu vaccine at two medical conferences this week. Through the addition of highly conserved antigens, Dynavax's Universal Flu vaccine is designed to offer protection against divergent influenza strains, increase the efficacy of standard vaccines, and potentially reduce the dose of vaccine to extend the quantity available during a pandemic. The Company currently expects to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial for its Universal Flu vaccine in the first half of 2010.

"As we see new pandemic threats emerge, we believe that our Universal Flu approach represents a state-of-the-art intervention with the potential to provide broad protection against new strains of the influenza virus," commented Dino Dina, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Dynavax. "We have an urgent need for vaccines that can protect against unpredictable mutations of the influenza virus and reduce mortality and morbidity during pandemic outbreaks."

About Dynavax's Universal Flu Vaccine

Standard annual flu vaccines are designed to provide protection against the three strains of the influenza virus that are predicted to be most prevalent in the upcoming flu season. As such, these vaccines do not provide protection against divergent strains that emerge unexpectedly.

Dynavax's novel Universal Flu vaccine is designed to offer protection against divergent strains as well as increase the efficacy and potentially reduce the dose of standard flu vaccine. This unique approach is based on combining two highly conserved antigens and Dynavax's proprietary second-generation TLR9 agonist with standard flu vaccines:

- Two highly conserved antigens NP and M2e offer protection against divergent strains

Dynavax's Universal Flu vaccine includes two conserved antigens, NP and M2e, which are present in all flu strains. NP, or nucleoprotein, is highly conserved across human and animal strains, while M2e, the extracellular domain of the matrix 2 protein, is conserved but with some variations among species. NP provides cytotoxic T-cell protection and M2e offers protective antibodies for protection against divergent strains.

- Dynavax's proprietary second-generation TLR9 agonist to enhance efficacy and enable dose-sparing

The conserved antigens NP and M2e are linked to Dynavax's proprietary second-generation TLR9 agonist. This approach has demonstrated the potential to boost the immune response and enable dose sparing, which could extend the quantity of standard flu vaccine available during a pandemic.

-Standard flu vaccine

Dynavax's Universal Flu vaccine combines the conserved antigens NP and M2e with the Company's proprietary TLR9 agonist and the standard vaccine, which provides neutralizing antibodies. The Company's proprietary component (NP/M2e-ISS) could be combined with any standard flu vaccine, including standard trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV), and emerging strains such as H5N1 or H1N1.

Dynavax's research and development program has been partially funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dynavax has established a worldwide supply and option agreement with Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Inc. for the Company's Universal Flu vaccine program.

Source
Dynavax

• Additional
• References
• Citations