Grant: Proof of Principle Program - Phase I

Influenza viruses cause seasonal yearly epidemics affecting people of all ages, resulting in thousands of deaths and hospitalizations each year worldwide. There have been three influenza pandemics in the last century, each leading to millions of deaths worldwide. During 2003 and 2005, influenza infections caused by H5N1 virus re-emerged and spread to many countries. In the year 2009, a new highly pathogenic strain of swine influenza A virus (H1N1) emerged. It caused several hundred thousand human cases of infection and deaths were reported from various countries around the world. WHO has suggested that in excess of 2-8 million people could die in an event of a global influenza pandemic. Influenza virus infections and morbidity and mortality associated with this disease can be prevented by prophylactic vaccines. An effective vaccine can control the spread and limit the devastating consequences of influenza infection. However, ability of influenza viruses to mutate and create new virulent strains poses significant challenges to vaccine development each year. Current vaccines are ineffective against emerging antigen variant virus and must be modified on an annual basis. The current vaccines also suffer from limited efficacy, egg-based production, limited supply, high cost and short-term protection. We have discovered new vaccine technologies which have very promising potential as a universal influenza vaccine. In this project, we will perform in vivo preclinical efficacy and toxicity studies of the newly generated vaccine candidates in animal models. These studies will identify optimum vaccination strategies for protection against influenza virus infection and strengthen the value of the IP. From our research, innovative vaccine approaches and new vaccine candidates for influenza will emerge that would be safe, effective and available for general as well as high-risk populations.