Title: NIH Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial for Promising Universal Flu Vaccine Candidate
In a significant development, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has commenced enrollment for a Phase 1 clinical trial for an innovative universal flu vaccine candidate, called FluMos-v2. This groundbreaking vaccine aims to target six different strains of the flu virus, providing a wide-ranging shield against multiple strains.
While current flu vaccines offer protection against specific strains, a universal vaccine like FluMos-v2 would confer broader protection by targeting a wider variety of influenza viruses. The trial will assess the safety and immune response of this investigational vaccine in 24 healthy volunteers, aged 18-50 years.
Participants of the trial will receive two intramuscular injections of the vaccine, spaced 16 weeks apart. Over a tracking period of 40 weeks, the study will monitor the participants’ responses to the vaccine. The development of this vaccine candidate has been pioneered by researchers at NIH’s Vaccine Research Center.
FluMos-v2 uses self-assembling nanoparticle scaffolds, displaying fragments of the flu virus protein, which primes the immune system to recognize and combat the actual virus. If successful, this universal flu vaccine could be administered less frequently than current seasonal flu vaccines.
This trial forms part of NIH’s ongoing dedication to studying infectious and immune-mediated diseases to develop advanced means of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. As the primary medical research agency in the United States, NIH is committed to translating discoveries into improved health outcomes for both common and rare diseases.
For those interested in learning more about the trial, additional information can be found on clinicaltrials.gov by searching for the identifier NCT05968989.
This groundbreaking research offers hope for a future where a single vaccine can provide broad protection against a multitude of flu strains. As the NIH’s Phase 1 clinical trial for FluMos-v2 gets underway, medical experts and the public alike eagerly anticipate the prospects of a universal flu vaccine to combat influenza’s unpredictable mutations.
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