Sanofi Pasteur reports high immune response of H5N1 vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur has announced data showing that its investigational H5N1 pandemic influenza vaccine – which contains a proprietary adjuvant – has shown a high immune response, while being administered at the lowest reported rate of such an antigen.

The company reports that 70 per cent of the clinical trial participants exhibited a high level seroprotective immune response when receiving the vaccine containing 1.9 micrograms of antigen.

Administration of a vaccine containing 3.75 micrograms of antigen resulted in a high level response rate of 80 per cent of participants in the study.

“Once fully developed, this vaccine should give Sanofi Pasteur the potential to provide billions of doses in a pandemic situation and greatly increases its ability to produce vaccines for stockpiling in advance of a pandemic,” the company reports

It adds that such stockpiling would mark a key public health achievement and a research and development breakthrough for the development of pandemic and pre-pandemic vaccines, in line with the firm’s dedication to meeting the challenge presented by the disease.

In July 2007, Sanofi Pasteur announced the completion of construction work at its new $150 million (73 million pound) influenza manufacturing site, with the facility due to come online in late 2008 or early 2009 following regulatory approval.