Sanofi Pasteur reports positive trial data for Fluzone High-Dose vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur has announced the publication of new study data that demonstrates the effectiveness of its new high-dose vaccine for influenza.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results from the large-scale multicentre efficacy trial demonstrated that the Fluzone High-Dose product offered stronger influenza prevention benefits in adults 65 years of age and older than the standard-dose option.

The high-dose variant was shown to be 24.2 percent more effective than standard Fluzone, indicating that around one in four breakthrough cases of influenza could be prevented in this age group by using the new vaccine.

Since it contains four times the amount of antigen that is used in the lower-strength product, Fluzone High-Dose is able to induce a higher antibody response.

John Shiver, senior vice-president for research and development at Sanofi Pasteur, said: "We are fully committed to helping to offer protection against influenza by delivering a more effective vaccine option designed specifically to address the needs of people aged 65 years and older."

This comes after the firm last month published detailed results from the landmark efficacy trial of its groundbreaking new dengue vaccine candidate, which is the first agent of its kind to be proven effective in a phase III study.