Baxter reports positive data from Ph I/II H5N1 vacc trial

Illinois, USA-based drugmaker Baxter International says that final data from a Phase I/II trial of its adjuvant-free, developmental pandemic H5N1 influenza vaccine indicates that the compound is highly immunogenic at low doses. The firm added that the agent, which is produced using a cell culture-based approach, was able to induce immunity against a wide range of divergent strains of the virus.

The findings, which were presented at the IV International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections in Hong Kong, China, showed that a 7.5mcg formulation of the vaccine without adjuvant resulted in a seroprotection rate at day 42 or 76.2%. The firm added that, based on these results it plans to initiate a Phase III European trial of the product, and expects that the findings will be available at the end of the year.