Gam-Flu-Vac Quadri, a quadrivalent nasal flu vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Center, will be effective against swine flu, according to Izvestia report with reference to the center.
“It will be effective against swine flu and against other variants,” Alexander Ginzburg, the director of the Gamaleya Center, said.
The body will develop protection against different strains of influenza A, swine flu H1N1, or avian flu, according to Maxim Shmarov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, the developer of the vaccine, who is the head of the Molecular Biotechnology Laboratory of the Gamaleya Center. These are the special features of the nasal vaccine. It will also protect against influenza type B, as the classic vaccines administered annually do.
The nasal vaccine provides long-term protection, so there will be no need for annual vaccination, according to Shmarov. Such vaccines make it possible to form an active immune defense on the mucosal surface of the upper respiratory tract and create a barrier that will stop the virus at the initial stage of its entry into the body. This is not the case when injectable drugs are used, the developer said.
As Maxim Shmarov told the publication, the trials on the first volunteers have been successful, with no undesirable effects registered after the administration of the vaccine. The scientists are also planning to prepare for the next phase of the trials. It is expected to be completed in 2023. The developers emphasize that Gam-Flu-Vac Quadri will be effective against all variants of the virus which have been circulating in recent years.
The Gamaleya Center received authorization for trials of Gam-Flu-Vac Quadri, its quadrivalent nasal influenza vaccine, in October. It is valid until December 31, 2022.
