Acambis Joins Forces With Sanofi Pasteur to Develop West Nile Vir...(vaccine wereregistered in other countrie...),Health

There is currently no human vaccine for the prevention of West Nile virus-related disease and no specific treatment. As of 6 November 2007, 3,265 cases of disease and 92 deaths had been recorded in 42 US States by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this year. The CDC has identified those aged 50 and above as being most at risk of severe West Nile virus-related disease. In the US, this population totals more than 87 million people.

Acambis is currently conducting a Phase 2 safety, tolerability and immunogenicity trial of ChimeriVax-West Nile in the US in adults aged 41-64 years and 65 years and above. Preliminary data from a previous Phase 2 dose-ranging trial in healthy adults have shown that over 98% of subjects seroconverted 28 days after a single vaccination. The safety profile of the vaccine has been shown to be satisfactory. Acambis' West Nile vaccine candidate uses its proprietary ChimeriVax(TM) technology, which was developed in association with St Louis University.

About West Nile virus

West Nile virus is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe it is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. About one in 150 people infected with West Nile virus will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent. Up to 20% of the people who become infected have symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for sev
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