Vaxart Inc., a clinical-stage, privately held biotechnology company that creates oral recombinant vaccines in the form of tablets instead of injections, recently enrolled its first subject in the company’s Phase I human trial for the influenza B tablet vaccine.
The results from the company’s earlier influenza A Phase I trial showed that its influenza A tablet vaccine is successful; it provoked antibodies and a strong mucosal immune response. With just one dose, 92 percent of the participants showed this strong reaction.
“The results of the influenza A Phase I trial suggest the room temperature-stable tablet vaccine may be as protective as currently marketed influenza vaccines while offering substantial advantages in distribution and ease of administration,”
Vaxart Chief Medical Officer Dave Liebowitz said. “Because our influenza B vaccine is based on the same platform, we anticipate it will generate robust systemic and mucosal immune responses in humans as well. The influenza B vaccine represents the last individual monovalent component we need to evaluate in order to move forward with the development of our quadrivalent influenza tablet vaccine.”
This second trial is designed as a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
“This study is another milestone in what has been a very productive year for Vaxart,”
Vaxart Chief Executve Officer Wouter Latour said. “Just a few months ago, we closed a contract with BARDA to conduct a Phase II challenge study designed to demonstrate that the Vaxart tablet vaccine can provide broader and more durable protection than currently marketed vaccines. In parallel, we successfully completed preclinical development of our norovirus and RSV vaccine candidates and both are scheduled to enter the clinic in 2016. All Vaxart vaccines are administered by tablet, which could be a game changer for these important indications.”
