AmVac AG, based in Zug, Switzerland, has announced significant progress in the development of its new respiratory infection vaccine. The vaccine candidate is based on AmVac’s Sendai virus vector platform and developed for the prevention of respiratory infections induced by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Preclinical data demonstrates both efficacy and safety of the RSV vaccine, according to the company. The company’s research partners have also completed the evaluation of different vaccine types and selected a promising candidate (AMV602) for further development. In relevant model systems it was shown that AMV602 induces a stable immune protection against RSV. It activates both of the body’s own defense mechanisms: first, the humoral immune response, in which antibodies play a central role, and second, the cellular immune system with helper and cytotoxic T cells as the main actors.
According to the company, this balanced activation of the body’s own defense mechanisms distinguishes its vaccine candidate from other projects in this field that have been developed and tested. Most of them were discontinued because of adverse effects, which were mainly due to a one-sided activation of the immune system.
AmVac will continue to develop its vaccine candidate AMV602 and plans to begin clinical trials before the end of 2013.
Source: AmVac AG
