Influenza Vaccination

Abstract

Influenza viruses have traditionally been administered by intramuscular injection. The invention is based on the idea of using alternative routes of delivery for influenza vaccines, more specifically routes that do not require as large a dose of antigen. Delivery of influenza antigen to the Langerhans cells is the route of choice according to the invention. This route has been found to be particularly useful for vaccinating patients who are naive to influenza virus (i.e. have not previously mounted an immune response to an influenza virus), which means that it is advantageous for immunising young children.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention concerns influenza virus vaccines, and in particular pediatric vaccines for delivery to the Langerhans cells.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]In the past, influenza vaccines have generally been administered to patients at particular risk from the consequences of influenza infection, such as: children with asthma, cardiac disease, sickle cell disease, HIV or diabetes; children living in a household containing someone suffering from asthma, cardiac disease, sickle cell disease, HIV or diabetes; and the elderly.[0003]More recently, there have been suggestions that the scope of influenza vaccination should be extended to include all children, rather than just those at high risk. To increase coverage in this way, however, would require a huge increase in production capacity, and vaccine manufacturers are not well placed to deliver this increase. Stockpiling of vaccines is not possible because the vaccine strains change every year and are produce...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]Influenza viruses have traditionally been administered by intramuscular injection, although more recently an intranasal vaccine has been approved for human use [1]. The invention is based on the idea of using alternative routes of delivery for influenza vaccines, more specifically routes that do not require as large a dose of antigen. Delivery of influenza antigen to the Langerhans cells is the route of choice according to the invention. This route has been found to be particularly useful for vaccinating patients who are naive to influenza virus (i.e. have not previously mounted an immune response to an influenza virus), which means that it is advantageous for immunising young children. Moreover, delivery to Langerhans cells may offer improved heterosubtypic immunity compared to intramuscular injection.

Problems solved by technology

To increase coverage in this way, however, would require a huge increase in production capacity, and vaccine manufacturers are not well placed to deliver this increase.

Stockpiling of vaccines is not possible because the vaccine strains change every year and are produced almost in a just-in-time manner.