UPPSALA, 29 August, 2011 -- Isconova AB, a leading international vaccine adjuvant company, is pleased to note that the scientific journal Vaccine has published online, the first article presenting data from the human PanFluVac trial. The phase I clinical study evaluated the safety and the immunogenicity of an avian flu vaccine adjuvanted with Matrix M™. Isconovas Matrix M™ showed excellent results in the study.
A total of 60 healthy volunteers took part in the study which was conducted at The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, Norway and funded by the European Commission through the PanFluVac research consortium. The volunteers were vaccinated with the virosomal vaccine alone or with three different doses of the vaccine formulated with Matrix M™. Earlier studies have shown that it is difficult to achieve a good immune response against avian flu.
Matrix M™ increased the efficacy of the vaccine considerably and the adjuvanted vaccines met all the efficacy criteria of the study. In the article the authors commented*; “In conclusion, in this phase I clinical trial the Matrix M™ adjuvanted vaccine was shown to be well-tolerated and effective at enhancing both the homologous and heterologous antibody responses to pandemic influenza viruses. Furthermore, Matrix M™ is a promising adjuvant for the formulation of pandemic vaccines, enabling enhanced antibody responses and allowing dose sparing down to 1.5µg HA.”
Lena Söderström, CEO of Isconova, commented;
“The PanFluVac trial was a major milestone for Isconova as it was the first time Isconova’s adjuvant Matrix M™ was tested in humans. There is a clear unmet medical need for better and more effective vaccines, and the excellent results of the PanFluVac trial is further evidence that Matrix M™ can address this important market.”
For more information, please contact:
Lena Söderström, CEO Isconova
Tel +46 70-816 39 12, e-mail: lena.soderstrom@isconova.com
About Isconova
Isconova AB is a leading international vaccine adjuvant company. Isconova has vast knowledge of vaccine systems and the company develops vaccines together with partners in the human and veterinary markets. The first vaccine using Isconovas nano-particle Matrix technology, Equilis®Prequenza, was launched on the veterinary market in 2005. In the human market a number of vaccines are under development with Isconova’s third generation nano-particle, Matrix M™. Isconova’s partners include Crucell, Pfizer, Merck & Co., The Jenner Institute, Genocea and Evolva. The Company is headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden.
Isconova was listed on NASDAQ OMX First North (ticker: ISCO) in November 2010. E. Öhman J:or AB is the Company’s Certified Adviser. www.isconova.com
About PanFluVac
PanFluVac is a European Commission funded research consortium for development of efficacious vaccine formulation systems for prophylactic control of influenza pandemics. www.panfluvac.org
*Cox RJ, et al. Evaluation of a virosomal H5N1 vaccine formulated with Matrix M™ adjuvant in a phase I clinical trial. Vaccine (2011), doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.08.042
