ST. LOUIS -- When used as an aerosolized weapon, smallpox could be controlled by a new vaccine under study at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, according to new data.
Detailed results from studies by Dr. Mark Buller of Saint Louis University School of Medicine were presented at the Seventh Annual Conference on Vaccine Research, sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, in Arlington, Va. The research tested the efficacy of a smallpox vaccine candidate known as LC16m8.
The research conducted at Saint Louis University by Buller and his colleagues has demonstrated that the vaccine, given to mice, protects against a virus related to smallpox that has been aerosolized. According to Buller, this closely models how smallpox could be delivered during a bioterrorist attack.
Buller and his colleagues, working in accordance with VaxGen and the National Institutes of Health, are working to make sure that the U.S. develops safer smallpox vaccines. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a part of the National Institutes of Health, funded the study.
Buller said that although smallpox was eradicated from human populations in 1977 by vaccination, the vaccine had a poor safety profile and caused life-threatening diseases in a small, but significant proportion of the US population.
"The threat of bioterrorism necessitates the development of new and safer vaccines and treatments against likely threat agents," Buller said.
The smallpox vaccine candidate, LC16m8, has been licensed for use in Japan since 1980. The live vaccine is produced in a cell culture from vaccinia virus that has been attenuated, or modified, so that it can initiate an immune response without causing serious adverse side effects. LC16m8 is designed to have a better safety profile, yet be equally effective, compared to conventional smallpox vaccines.
Buller's research is one of two research studies conducted to support the efficacy of the smallpox vaccine. VaxGen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of biologic products for the prevention and treatment of human infectious diseases, funded the other research study.
"The positive results of both studies suggest that additional studies are warranted to further evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine candidate," Buller said.
VaxGen plans to begin a Phase I/II trial in humans later this year to study LC16m8's safety and ability to induce an immune response. VaxGen also intends to initiate a large-scale safety trial in the second half of 2004. Additional pre-clinical studies are also planned.
Source: Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center
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.
Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers
July 4th 2025Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.
How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels
July 3rd 2025Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.