PDS Biotechnology Corporation announced its investigational universal influenza vaccine PDS0202 demonstrated active neutralization across multiple influenza viruses. The vaccine also provided protection against infection after challenged with high doses of the H1N1 virus in ferrets not previously exposed to flu. The data were presented in an oral lecture at the 9thEuropean Scientific Working Group on Influenza (ESWI) Conference in Valencia, Spain by James Allen, PhD, from the Cleveland Clinic laboratory of renowned influenza expert, Ted Ross, PhD.

PDS0202 combines PDS Biotech?s Infectimune® novel investigational immune activating platform with proprietary Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive Antigens (COBRA) influenza antigens. The COBRA antigens developed in the laboratory of Dr. Ted Ross were designed using an in-silico layered consensus building approach, which utilizes HA sequence data from influenza surveillance databases. PDS0202?s ability to generate broad, robust antibody and T cell responses position the vaccine to potentially provide durable protection against seasonal and pandemic strains of influenza.

PDS0202 is administered through intramuscular injection in a single dose. In previous preclinical studies, PDS0202 demonstrated the ability to promote robust induction of broadly neutralizing influenza-specific antibodies, flu-specific CD4 (helper) and CD8 (killer) T cells, as well as long-lasting memory T cells. This robust immune response to the COBRA antigens suggests strong potential for PDS0202 as a broad and long-term protecting universal influenza vaccine.