University Set to Lead New Smallpox Vaccine Study

Saint Louis University plans to lead a major efficacy study of a new smallpox vaccine designed to have fewer side effects than the one used to completely eradicate the disease, school officials announced yesterday (see GSN, April 17).

Under the study plan, the new vaccine would be tested on 215 subjects throughout the country, including 30 in St. Louis.  The volunteers would receive the new vaccine — called Imvamune and produced by Danish-based pharmaceutical firm Bavarian Nordic — by itself and in combination with the existing Dryvax vaccine (see GSN, April 17).

“The main point of the study is to see if it takes less time to make antibodies against Imvamune as compared to Dryvax and will the antibody response be at least as good,” said principal investigator Sharon Frey.

“If there was a release of smallpox today, and we vaccinated today, how rapid would the immune response have to be in order to prevent the person from developing the disease?” asked Frey.   “Historically, it’s been three days.”

Six other U.S. research institutions are expected to participate in the study (Cheryl Wittenauer, Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, April 30).

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