MF59 Adjuvanted Influenza Vaccines Demonstrate Potential Seasonal, Pandemic Use

Experts from around the globe are meeting this week to present and review the latest research and advancements in influenza control and prevention. Much of the focus looking ahead centers on vaccines for either seasonal use or deployment in the face of a pandemic.

Investigators with Seqirus presented findings from a handful of studies on a MF59 adjuvanted influenza vaccine for both seasonal and potential pandemic protection at the Options for the Control of Influenza (OPTIONS X) Conference in Singapore. Highlights include a MF59-adjuvanted cell culture-derived H5N1 (aH5N1c) influenza vaccine’s ability to induce antibody responses in healthy pediatric subjects, adults, and the elderly. Investigators also presented results from a study on immune response induced by revaccination of young children with a MF59-adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine.

“The data presented at OPTIONS X complement previous clinical studies that emphasize the important role of innovative technologies, such as the MF59 adjuvant, in broadening and enhancing the immune response against evolving seasonal and pandemic influenza viruses,” Anjana Narain, executive vice president at Seqirus, said in a press release. “As part of our role on the front line of influenza prevention and pandemic preparedness, we’re committed to developing advanced technologies and vaccines that can help provide seasonal protection as well as provide a rapid production response during a pandemic outbreak.”

In 2 revaccination studies conducted during influenza seasons characterized by antigenic drift, the quadrivalent, adjuvanted seasonal vaccine induced a higher immune response in children 6 months to 72 months old for both homologous and heterologous strains compared with a non-adjuvanted vaccine. In children with lower preexisting antibody titers, it also produced a greater magnitude of cross-reactive antibody responses compared with a non-adjuvanted influenza vaccine regardless of recipient age (6 months through 23 months old or 36 months through 71 months old) or vaccination history.

In a study evaluating the MF59 adjuvant combined with a cell-based pandemic influenza A (H5N1) vaccine candidate as pandemic protection, results showed increased immune responses against heterologous A (H5N1) strains in adults (18 to < 65 years old) and the elderly (≥ 65 years of age) with a full-dose vaccination (7.5 μg hemagglutinin (HA) of H5N1 with 0.25 mL MF59 for a total injection volume of 0.5 mL).

Children 6 months to £ 17 years old who received a full-dose vaccination (7.5 μg HA of H5N1 with 0.25 mL MF59 for a total injection volume of 0.5 mL) also demonstrated increased immune response.

“Influenza A (H5N1) viruses have high pandemic potential; therefore, vaccines need to be rapidly produced when these strains emerge. Pandemic influenza vaccines with MF59 adjuvant require less antigen per vaccine dose compared to most seasonal formulations, allowing for more rapid vaccine availability,” a Seqirus press release read.