Acuvax affiliate starts first human trials for recombinant dengue fever vaccine

Australian vaccine developer Acuvax is set to begin Phase 1 safety trials of a dengue fever vaccine in the US through its affiliate company Hawaii Biotech.

Adelaide-based Acuvax has also received an injection of equity capital from Terra Rossa Capital of US$1.25m. Terra Rossa Capital is a specialist life sciences venture capital fund with significant immunology experience.

The double blind, placebo controlled, dose escalation safety study in healthy subjects is being conducted at the St Louis University Centre for Vaccine Development. The vaccine recipients will also be monitored for virus neutralising antibodies.

The first phase of the clinical development programme is designed to assess safety, determine a dose range and identify potential side effects. Results from this clinical study are expected within a year.

Acuvax chief executive and Hawaii Biotech director Dr William Ardrey said this was "an important milestone" in the development of Hawaii Biotech into a clinical stage company.

Hawaii Biotech chief executive Dr Elliot Parks said the trials confirmed the versatility of the subunit vaccine technology platform.

"This Phase 1 study will also prepare us for the initial clinical testing of Hawaii Biotech's tetravalent dengue fever vaccine," he added.

Hawaii Biotech's dengue monovalent vaccine candidate is the first recombinant subunit vaccine for dengue fever to enter clinical studies. The company said it intends to test a dengue tetravalent vaccine candidate, developed using the company's recombinant subunit vaccine technology, within a year.

Dengue, also known as "break-bone fever", is prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries. Approximately 3.5 billion people live in endemic countries and about 100 million people are infected with dengue every year, resulting in around 20,000 deaths. Dengue is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with any one of four dengue viruses.

Dr Ardrey concluded: "The combination of good clinical progress with further investor support from expert immunology investors should provide further validation to Acuvax's current and future investors and stakeholders."