Back to the future: Immunization with M-001 prior to trivalent influenza vaccine in 2011/12 enhanced protective immune responses against 2014/15 epidemic strain.

We previously reported a 2011/12 study in elderly showing that immunization with the universal influenza vaccine candidate, M-001, three weeks before administering trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) enhanced seroconversion of Hemagglutination Inhibition (HAI) antibodies against known influenza vaccine strains circulating at that time. We now report that those subjects primed with M-001 prior to TIV in 2011 also showed, in their 2011 sera, significantly more HAI antibodies with improved seroprotection and seroconversion against strain A/Switzerland/9715293/2013(H3N2-like) that caused the 2014/15 influenza epidemic and that wasn't known to circulate in 2011/12. These data indicate that M-001 can provide broadened enhanced immunity extending even to influenza strains destined to circulate in future years.

Priming by a novel universal influenza vaccine (Multimeric-001)-a gateway for improving immune response in the elderly population.

Background: A new vaccine, "Multimeric-001" (M-001) has been recently developed, containing conserved, common linear influenza epitopes that activate both cellular and humoral arms of the immune system against a wide variety of influenza A and B strains. Apart from its direct action, M-001 is an attractive candidate for priming immune responses to seasonal influenza vaccine for the elderly population. The current clinical study was designed to assess M-001's standalone and priming action in participants over 65 years old.