Safer, More Effective Vaccine for Smallpox
By Biotechdaily staff writers
Posted on 19 Dec 2002
A new smallpox vaccine is being developed that is designed to be safe, effective, painless, and to be delivered orally.Posted on 19 Dec 2002
Previously, oral vaccination was not an option because old vaccine virus strains could grow in humans, causing painful sores in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. The new vaccine will be based on a safe vaccine strain that cannot grow in humans. Also, this vaccine will provide additional immune protection while eliminating the side effects of the current stockpiled vaccine, says the developer, Incell Corp. (San Antonio, TX, USA). Unvaccinated and previously vaccinated individuals, including those ineligible for the stockpiled vaccine, may receive the new vaccine, when approved.
"We have been working on this safer vaccine for almost a year because current threats of bioterrorism have raised real concerns about the devastation that could result from a smallpox outbreak,” said Dr. Mary Pat Moyer, chief science officer of Incell. "We intend to begin clinical trials soon, as we believe that everyone should have the option to be safely vaccinated and that widespread use of this vaccine will remove the treat of smallpox as a weapon of mass destruction.”
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