Acambis and WHO collaborate over JE
Acambis is to collaborate with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the development of Acambis' investigational vaccine ChimeriVax-JE against Japanese encephalitis (JE).
Under a Memorandum of Understanding between WHO and Acambis, WHO will provide assistance and funding for paediatric trials of ChimeriVax-JE in endemic countries. This is part of WHO's efforts to enable the development of effective paediatric vaccines against JE for developing countries where the virus is endemic.
In the first instance, WHO will assist with a trial of ChimeriVax-JE, which Acambis plans to conduct at Mahidol University in Thailand. The trial will investigate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of ChimeriVax-JE in age groups stepping down to the target population of infants in their second year of life, in accordance with current paediatric schedule vaccination in that country. WHO will provide technical advice, infrastructure and monitoring services, and also financial support Acambis' ChimeriVax-JE vaccine has already been tested in two Phase II clinical trials and is currently undergoing a separate two-year study in Australia to expand safety and efficacy information and to investigate duration of immunity.
JE is a mosquito-borne virus that occurs throughout China, Korea, the Indian sub-continent, southeast Asia and parts of Melanesia and Australia. It is considered to be the world's most significant cause of viral encephalitis. Up to 30% of affected people die of the disease caused by the virus and many survivors have permanent neurological disabilities. Approximately 35,000 human cases of JE are reported annually, but it is thought that the true incidence could be in excess of 50,000 as surveillance and reporting rates are poor. Three billion people live in JE-endemic regions and more than 70m children are born each year in endemic countries.
Dr John Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Acambis, commented: 'Access to endemic countries is a key part of our vaccine development strategy. We are delighted to be working with WHO in the development of our ChimeriVax-JE vaccine and believe the considerable expertise they have in conducting trials in endemic countries will be invaluable.'