About "Influenza Vaccines"

 

　Profile #27: Dr. SHINGAI Masashi, Associate Professor

　Division of Biologics Development,

　International Institute for Zoonosis Control

 

　【Research Topics】

　・Research and development of seasonal influenza vaccine

　・Analysis of vaccine immune responses using immune repertoire

　・Immunological analysis of original antigenic sin phenomenon

 

 

 ～Developing an improved flu vaccine～ 

 

The majority of seasonal influenza vaccines used in the world belong to split vaccines (SVs)in which virus particles are degraded by ether or detergent. The SV ensures safety as a vaccine and gives a booster effect to primed populations. However, SV gives no or low effect for children and elderly who belong to the high risk group as it does not prime naïve children nor induce enough immunity to protect elderly. It is required to develop a new influenza vaccine with balanced safety and immunogenicity, especially for unprimed young children and the elderly. In order to solve this problem, we established the “All Japan Influenza Vaccine Study Group” in collaboration with all four seasonal influenza vaccine manufacturers in Japan (KM Biologics Co., Ltd., Denka Company Limited, DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED, BIKEN Co., Ltd.) , Shiga University of Medical Science, Kumamoto University, University of Melbourne, and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, to promote developing a new inactivated whole virus particle influenza vaccine. The project is currently in Phase I/II clinical trials. Our goal is to provide the influenza vaccine that can protect people from the disease to the world.

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Group photo of the “All Japan Influenza Vaccine Study Group”　　Experiment at the BSL3 facility of International Institute for Zoonosis Control

 

Experiment at the BSL3 animal facility in Shiga University of Medical Science