CONNAUGHT FLU VACCINE WITH LIPOSOME ADJUVANTS

Executive Summary

CONNAUGHT FLU VACCINE WITH LIPOSOME ADJUVANTS will be developed through an agreement between Connaught Labs and the Liposome Company. In an April 14 statement, the companies announced that "the influenza project will seek to demonstrate the usefulness of liposomes as vaccine adjuvants (or amplifiers) for viral fragments." Connaught is assuming worldwide marketing rights for the liposome flu vaccine; the Liposome Company will receive research payments, "hurdle payments" as the product moves through clinicals, and royalties from any eventual sales. The companies view the flu vaccine development effort as a precursor to other liposome vaccine development efforts on products for AIDS, cancer and anti-allergy products. The companies explained that viral fragments "by themselves . . . do not elicit the robust immune response needed for long-term immune protection." Liposomes, however, "can act as powerful amplifiers to boost the antibody response by presenting multiple viral fragments to individual cells."