IMVAMUNE®
Bavarian Nordic is an international leader in the field of
smallpox vaccines with almost 10 years of experience. IMVAMUNE®
is the company's third generation smallpox vaccine based on
MVA-BN® technology. The development of IMVAMUNE® was
initiated in 1999. IMVAMUNE® is derived from the parent strain
Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), which is a highly attenuated
pox virus that has lost the capacity to replicate in human cells,
hence solving the main safety issue of conventional vaccines.
The comprehensive clinical program has shown very promising
results:
- IMVAMUNE® is well tolerated and efficacious
- IMVAMUNE® is easily administered through standard
procedures such as subcutaneous or intramuscular
injection
- IMVAMUNE® provides faster protection than conventional
firtst and second generation vaccines
- IMVAMUNE® has shown full protection in lethal challenge
studies in mice and monkeys
- IMVAMUNE® has in animal studies shown protection even when
administered after infection
IMVAMUNE® is currently an unlicensed vaccine and has gained
fast track status at the FDA; Bavarian Nordic will initiate the
pivotal Phase III studies in 2010.
Because of the high need for a safer smallpox vaccine,
IMVAMUNE® is already in production and available for
governments globally under their national emergency rules.
IMVAMUNE® is positioned as a new and superior third generation
smallpox vaccine for protection of:
- Military and first-line responders (health care workers,
military, police, etc.).
- Individuals contraindicated for conventional smallpox vaccines:
e.g. individuals with HIV, people with atopic dermatitis and
members of their households. This typically represents 25% of the
general population (1).
- The population in general.
(1) Kemper et al, Eff Clin Pract. 2002; 5: 84-90
