Broadly Protective Influenza Vaccine Comprising a Cocktail of Inactivated Avian Influenza Viruses

There is a great need for broadly protective, “universal” influenza virus vaccines given the antigenic drift and shift of influenza viruses and the variable protective efficacy of the current influenza vaccines. This technology relates to a broadly protective, “universal” influenza vaccine candidate composed of a cocktail of different low pathogenicity avian influenza virus subtypes inactivated by betapropiolactone (BPL). Vaccinating animals with BPL-inactivated whole virus vaccine comprising influenza virus strains belonging to four or more different low pathogenicity avian influenza hemagglutinin subtypes, intranasally or intramuscularly, provided extremely broad protection and heterosubtypic protection to lethal challenge with influenza viruses in both mice and ferrets. This influenza vaccine technology has a great potential to offer broad protection against both seasonal and pandemic-potential influenza viruses.

This technology is available for licensing for commercial development in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 209 and 37 CFR Part 404.