Now that the Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s clinical study testing an avian flu, ‘bird flu,’ vaccine for children has been under way for a few weeks, the research center is starting a similar clinical trial for adults.

“In this study, we are trying to find out what strength of this study vaccine is and what, if any, adjuvants are needed to produce protective levels of ‘bird flu’ antibodies,” said Robert Belshe, M.D., director of the Center for Vaccine Development at the School of Medicine.

Adjuvants are immunological agents that are added to drugs to increase the amount of antibodies they produce.

“Sometimes more than one dose of vaccine is needed so the body will make enough antibodies to fight infection,” said Belshe. “Sometimes other products called adjuvants are needed to help the vaccine make enough antibodies.”

Avian flu creates concern because when people become infected with a new strain of flu, it spreads very quickly and can lead to a worldwide pandemic. In the last 100 years, there have been a number of infectious pandemics; therefore, researchers feel it is important to have a vaccine prepared.

“This study will help us decide the right combination for use in the future, if a bird flu vaccine is needed,” said Belshe.

The common flu, or influenza, is responsible for 20,000 to 40,000 deaths each year in the United States. In 1918, nearly 40 million people died from a flu pandemic.

This research study is using a killed flu virus vaccine for the avian flu virus (A/H5N1) and an adjuvant called alum, which is used in many vaccines already. There is also an experimental adjuvant, MF59, that is being used in the study. MF59 is approved for use in Europe, but has not previously been used in any vaccines in the United States. These trials could eventually lead to the development of an FDA approved vaccine to prevent infection from bird flu.

This investigational vaccine will be given as a shot in the arm, just as the standard flu vaccine is given yearly during flu season. This study vaccine is also made in the same way as the licensed flu vaccine.

The SLU enter for Vaccine Development needs both male and female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 and is looking to enroll up to 100 participants for this study.

Call the SLU Center for Vaccine Development at 314-977-6333 or e-mail [email protected] for more information about enrollment in this study.