the vaccine, a group that received a commercial
influenza vaccine via intrasmuscular injection, and
a third group that received the vaccine administered
intranasally using the NasVax technology. The
weasels were exposed to the flu virus 28 days after
receiving the vaccination, and then examined for
the drug's effectiveness.
Retroscreen's trial report notes that the intranasally
administered vaccine was found effective at
reducing flu symptoms as judged by measuring
the animals' body weight, body temperature, and
the amount of influenza virus found in their nasal
cavities.
Based in Herzliya, Nasvax is a private company
held by the Meytav Technological Incubator (32
percent), Prof. Yechezkel Barenholz (9.9 percent),
Yissum, the technology transfer company of the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (6.5 percent), and
Pontifax, which is headed by Teva Chairman Eli
Hurvitz (9 percent).
Human trials of the technology are also being
carried out to determine whether the technology
is safe to use. According to NasVax CEO Itzik
Goldwaser, the 100-subject trial that began last
October and will end in April.
NasVax finishes animal trials on flu vaccine for a product that delivers the influenza vaccine
intranasally.
The trial was carried out by the British firm Retroscreen
Virology on weasels, which are considered one of the
best animals on which to test influenza vaccines.
The trial included a control group, which did not receive