- The National Institute of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) plans to launch a Phase 2 study in the U.S. in 2016 to assess BiondVax's (NASDAQ:BVXV) universal flu vaccine candidate, Multimeric-001 (M-001) as a primer vaccine to be administered several weeks before a pandemic vaccine to the H7N9 avian strain. The study will also investigate M-001's priming capacity to other seasonal and pandemic strains.
- A strain-specific flu vaccine usually takes four to six months to manufacture, during which the disease can spread rapidly. Stockpiling M-001 as a pandemic primer would enable vaccinations to begin immediately.
- An upcoming trial in Europe will assess M-001 as a primer to the H5N1 avian pandemic vaccine.
- BVXV shares are up 37% premarket on robust volume.