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At IDRI, our mission is to translate science into global health solutions. We develop vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutic products that address the world's most neglected infectious diseases.
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IDRI Receives DARPA Grant to Develop a Novel Vaccine to Combat Pandemic Flu
Seattle, WA | January 7, 2011
The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) today announced it
has received a multi-million dollar grant from the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the Army Research Office
(ARO), both parts of United States Department of Defense. This new
funding will support IDRIʼs development of a single dose influenza
vaccine to be widely administered in case of pandemic flu outbreak.
The proposal combines cutting-edge vaccine adjuvant technology from
IDRI and a microneedle delivery device. Intradermal vaccine delivery
has proven benefits over conventional administration methods and may
enhance protection as well as allowing for a reduction in the amount of
antigen needed. A similar beneficial effect has been observed with
some of IDRIʼs adjuvants.
Dr. Darrick Carter, Director of Formulations at IDRI and Principal
Investigator said "We are in a unique position to bring the vaccine
adjuvant and the delivery technologies together to elicit better and more
rapid stimulation of the bodyʼs defenses." This grant will support IDRIʼs
proof-of-concept preclinical and Phase 1 clinical work, combining
technologies to make a vaccine capable of being effective after only a
single shot.
The device-adjuvant platform resulting from this program can be applied
to intradermal delivery of a variety of vaccine products, targeting many
of the worldʼs most challenging diseases.
About IDRI
The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) is a Seattle-based not-for-profit organization committed to applying innovative science to the research and development of products to prevent, detect, and treat infectious diseases of poverty. By integrating capabilities, including early stage drug discovery, preclinical testing, manufacturing, and clinical trials, IDRI strives to create an efficient pathway bringing scientific innovation from the laboratory to the people who need it most. For more information, visit www.idri.org.
IDRI contact:
Erik Iverson | 206.518.6280 | media@idri.org
About IDRIʼs Adjuvants
Adjuvants are compounds used to improve the bodyʼs immune
response to vaccines. Adjuvant technology is proving invaluable in the
development of vaccines for serious diseases for which vaccines are
not currently available, including malaria and HIV.
Adjuvants are a key research component of IDRIʼs malaria,
tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and leprosy vaccine development
programs—supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the
National Institutes of Health, and the American Leprosy Missions.
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