Vanderbilt vaccine researchers are enrolling adult volunteers in a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored Phase II clinical trial that will study a next-generation pertussis vaccine that may protect people from whooping cough.
The vaccine, BPZE1, is a live, attenuated form of the pertussis bacterium. BPZE1 is given as a mist into the nose, rather than a shot in the arm. ILiAD Biotechnologies, LLC (ILiAD) is providing the vaccine.
Buddy Creech, MD, MPH, director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program, said administering the vaccine into the nose, instead of giving a traditional shot, may more closely mimic what is seen in a natural infection.
“It only makes sense that, when we can, we try to deliver vaccines to the place in the body where we first see the germ. For pertussis, that is the nose,” Creech said. “We think the vaccine will not only give an immune response in the bloodstream, like we normally see with a shot, but also a response in the nose.”
“What we are learning is that the vaccine now in use is good at preventing disease, but other vaccines may have greater duration of protection and be better in preventing the germ from being carried in the nose altogether or being transmitted from one person to another,” he said.
The Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program is inviting healthy volunteers ages 18-49 to participate in the study. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the NIH is sponsoring the study through the Vanderbilt Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU).
Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Tackling Health Care-Associated Infections: SHEA’s Bold 10-Year Research Plan to Save Lives
December 12th 2024Discover SHEA's visionary 10-year plan to reduce HAIs by advancing infection prevention strategies, understanding transmission, and improving diagnostic practices for better patient outcomes.
Environmental Hygiene: Air Pressure and Ventilation: Negative vs Positive Pressure
December 10th 2024Learn more about how effective air pressure regulation in health care facilities is crucial for controlling airborne pathogens like tuberculosis and COVID-19, ensuring a safer environment for all patients and staff.
Revolutionizing Hospital Cleanliness: How Color Additives Transform Infection Prevention
December 9th 2024Discover how a groundbreaking color additive for disinfectant wipes improved hospital cleanliness by 69.2%, reduced microbial presence by nearly half, and enhanced cleaning efficiency—all without disrupting workflows.