ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Novavax, Inc. announces that it has begun vaccinating healthy
volunteers in the first human clinical trial of its virus-like particle (VLP) based pandemic influenza vaccine. The Phase I/IIa randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of different doses of the H5N1 clade 2 VLP influenza vaccine in up to 230 healthy adults. The goals of the study are to demonstrate safety and to select a dose for evaluation in a Phase IIb immunogenicity study. The first subject was enrolled at Healthcare Discoveries in San Antonio, Texas, one of two U.S. clinical sites participating in the study.
Novavax is developing vaccines to treat influenza and other viral diseases based upon VLP technology. The technology creates vaccine particles in cell culture that mimic the three-dimensional structure of the virus, but do not contain genetic material and cannot replicate. The flu VLPs are designed to have a favorable safety profile and potentially be more immunogenic than current pandemic vaccines, without the use of an adjuvant. Recent preclinical studies have supported this hypothesis by showing that Novavax's influenza VLPs induced a robust immune response.
"The start of this clinical study represents a major milestone in the company's strategy to develop novel and improved vaccines for the 21st century," stated Penny Heaton, MD, Novavax vice president and chief medical officer. "The pandemic influenza vaccine is the first application of our proprietary VLP technology against a looming public health problem."
Source: Novavax, Inc.
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.