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<strong>2008</strong> ANNUAL REPORT 12<br />
The key to a broad spectrum vaccine is a protective antigen which is highly<br />
conserved among all strains. It is generally accepted that Influenza A M2<br />
protein and in particular its ectodomain (M2e) is the best candidate.<br />
Antibodies against M2e are hardly induced by natural infection and not at all<br />
by conventional vaccines. But if present, antibodies against M2e protect<br />
effectively against influenza challenge. Antibodies against M2e cannot<br />
neutralize the virus, but their mode of action consists of tagging virusinfected<br />
cells for rapid elimination, thereby reducing virus replication and<br />
spread in an infected host.<br />
Need for a novel influenza vaccine<br />
Influenza virus infects 10-20% of the human population every year, resulting<br />
in 3-5 million cases of severe illness and up to 500’000 deaths. Currently<br />
available influenza vaccines protect effectively, but only against the virus<br />
strains included in the vaccine. The influenza virus constantly changes its<br />
envelope, and thus the composition of influenza vaccines needs to be<br />
adapted accordingly each year, based on epidemiological forecasts<br />
provided by the WHO. Finally, in order to provide protection against the<br />
novel virus strains, the vaccines must be administered each year.<br />
<strong>Pevion</strong>_<strong>Biotech</strong>_<strong>annual</strong>_<strong>report</strong>_<strong>2008</strong>_final.docx
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