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CompletedNCT00395174Updated Dec 17, 2009

Comparison of the Immunogenicity, Safety and Reactogenicity of FluBlok, To a Licensed Vaccine In Elderly Adults

A Phase 3 interventional study of Influenza Vaccination in Influenza, sponsored by Protein Sciences Corporation. Completed at 7 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 65 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2009-12-17.

Sponsored by Protein Sciences Corporation · Phase 3, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
870
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
65 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study were to obtain additional evidence in support of the safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant hemagglutinin (rHA) vaccine in an elderly population, and to establish non-inferiority of the immunogenicity of the rHA vaccine when compared with a licensed trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV). Another purpose was to provide a preliminary estimate of the relative efficacy of the two vaccines against culture-positive influenza-like illness during the subsequent epidemic.

Read the detailed description

Annual influenza epidemics are associated with serious excess morbidity and mortality, particularly among the elderly. Licensed trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (TIVs) have been shown to reduce hospitalization and death following influenza in this vulnerable population, but their efficacy is lower than that observed in younger, healthy populations. In addition, recent studies have questioned the level of effectiveness of TIV in the elderly, suggesting that cohort studies have overestimated the benefits of immunization with current TIV formulations in this age group. In view of these considerations, it is widely accepted that improved and alternative vaccines are needed for control of seasonal and pandemic influenza.

Currently available TIVs are prepared from viruses that are grown in embryonated hens' eggs. Alternative substrates for vaccine production are desirable in order to reduce the vulnerability of and to expand influenza vaccine supply. Recombinant DNA techniques allow for expression of the influenza hemagglutinin (rHA) by baculovirus vectors in insect cell cultures. Advantages of this technique include speed of production, absence of egg protein, and a highly purified product. Previous studies among healthy younger and older adults have confirmed that rHA vaccines are safe, well tolerated and immunogenic at dosages up to nine times higher than those contained in TIV. Dose-related increases in serum antibody levels after immunization also were observed.

02

Conditions studied

  • Influenza

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Keywords

  • Influenza
03

In context

Influenza, Human

2,214 studies on the registry are indexed under Influenza, Human; 163 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 870 is above the median of 238 across 1,853 interventional studies indexed under Influenza, Human.

Browse Influenza, Human studies →

Lead sponsor

Protein Sciences Corporation is the lead sponsor of 12 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
65 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Ambulatory adults aged 65 and older
  • Medically stable, as determined by oral temperature \<100.0°F, medical history, and targeted physical examination based on medical history
  • Able to understand and comply with planned study procedures
  • Provides written informed consent prior to initiation of any study procedure.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known allergy to eggs or other vaccine components.
  • Immunosuppression as a result of an underlying illness or treatment, or used anticancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy within the preceding 36 months.
  • Any malignancy (excluding nonmelanotic skin cancer or lymphoproliferative disorder), other than localized prostrate cancer, diagnosed or treated actively during the past 5 years. Subjects with any history of lymphoproliferative disorder will be excluded, while subjects with a history of localized nonmelanotic skin cancer may be eligible.
  • Long-term use of oral steroids, parenteral steroids, or high-dose inhaled steroids within the preceding 6 months (Nasal and topical steroids are allowed).
  • Major psychiatric diagnosis including schizophrenia, bipolar disease or other major depression, or any diagnosis of dementia or associated concomitant medications (e.g., Aricept) used for treating dementia
  • History of receiving immunoglobulin or other blood product within the 3 months prior to enrollment in this study.
  • Receipt of any other licensed vaccines within 2 weeks (for inactivated vaccines) or 4 weeks (for live vaccines) prior to enrollment in this study.
  • History of severe reactions following immunization with influenza virus vaccines.
  • Moderate to severe acute illness or febrile illness (oral temperature greater than 100*F) within 1 week prior to vaccination.
  • Receipt of an experimental agent (vaccine, drug, biologic, device, blood product or medication) within 1 month prior to enrollment in this study, or expects to receive an experimental agent during study period.
  • Known active human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C infection.
  • History of alcohol or drug abuse in the last 5 years.
  • History of Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
  • Any acute or chronic medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would render vaccination unsafe, interfere with the evaluation of responses, or render the subject unable to meet the requirements of the protocol. These conditions include, but are not limited to: history of significant renal impairment (dialysis and treatment for kidney disease, including diabetic and hypertensive kidney disease); subjects with diabetes mellitus, well-controlled with oral agents may enroll as long there has been no dosage increase within the past 6 months; insulin-dependent diabetes is excluded; cardiac insufficiency, if heart failure is present (New York Heart Association Functional Class III or IV); an arteriosclerotic event during the 6 months prior to enrollment (e.g., history of myocardial infarction, stroke, recanalization of femoral arteries, or transient ischemic attack).
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Factorial assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
870 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    FluBlok

    Recombinant Trivalent Hemagglutinin Influenza Vaccine: 2005-2006 formulation containing 45μg of each hemagglutinin derived from A/New Caledonia (H1N1), A/Wisconsin (H3N2) and B/Ohio 135μg total

    Biological: Influenza Vaccination

  • Active comparator
    TIV (Fluzone)

    Licensed trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV): 2005-2006 formulation containing 15μg of each hemagglutinin derived from A/Wisconsin (H3N2), A/New Caledonia (H1N1) and B/Malaysia 45μg total (Fluzone, sanofi pasteur)

    Biological: Influenza Vaccination

Interventions

  • BiologicalInfluenza Vaccination

    0.5mL dose for intramuscular injection

    Also known as: FluBlok, Fluzone, rHA, rHA0, recombinant hemagglutinin, TIV

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Evaluation of safety and reactogenicity of FluBlok and TIV in medically stable adults 65 years and older.

    Time frame: influenza season

Secondary outcomes

  1. Comparison of relative efficacy and effectiveness of FluBlok and TIV in medically stable adults 65 years and older.

    Time frame: influenza season

  2. Evaluation and comparison of immunogenicity of FluBlok and TIV in medically stable adults 65 years and older.

    Time frame: influenza season

07

Study locations

7 sites
  • Center of Vaccine Development, Univ. of Maryland
    Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
  • Passport Health Maryland
    Baltimore, Maryland 21230, United States
  • Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
    Rochester, Minnesota 55905, United States
  • Passport Health New Jersey
    Shrewsbury, New Jersey 07702, United States
  • Rochester Medical Center
    Rochester, New York 14642, United States
  • Primary Physicians Research
    Pittsburg, Pennsylvania 15241, United States
  • Baylor College of Medicine
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Keitel WA, Treanor JJ, El Sahly HM, Gilbert A, Meyer AL, Patriarca PA, Cox MM. Comparative immunogenicity of recombinant influenza hemagglutinin (rHA) and trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV) among persons > or =65 years old. Vaccine. 2009 Dec 11;28(2):379-85. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2009.10.037. Epub 2009 Oct 29. PubMed 19879222 ↗
  • Rajendran M, Nachbagauer R, Ermler ME, Bunduc P, Amanat F, Izikson R, Cox M, Palese P, Eichelberger M, Krammer F. Analysis of Anti-Influenza Virus Neuraminidase Antibodies in Children, Adults, and the Elderly by ELISA and Enzyme Inhibition: Evidence for Original Antigenic Sin. mBio. 2017 Mar 21;8(2):e02281-16. doi: 10.1128/mBio.02281-16. PubMed 28325769 ↗
  • Nachbagauer R, Choi A, Izikson R, Cox MM, Palese P, Krammer F. Age Dependence and Isotype Specificity of Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Stalk-Reactive Antibodies in Humans. mBio. 2016 Jan 19;7(1):e01996-15. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01996-15. PubMed 26787832 ↗

Related links

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 17, 2009, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00395174
Lead sponsor
Protein Sciences Corporation
First posted
Nov 2, 2006
Start date
Oct 2006
Primary completion
May 2007
Completion
May 2007
Last update
Dec 17, 2009

Study contacts

Wendy A. Keitel, MD
principal investigator · Baylor College of Medicine
Hana M. El-Sahly, MD
principal investigator · Baylor College of Medicine
John J. Treanor, MD
principal investigator · University of Rochester Medical
Keith S. Reisinger, MD
principal investigator · Primary Physicians research
Gregory A. Poland, MD
principal investigator · Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Kenneth D. Lessans, MD
principal investigator · Passport Health Maryland
John J. Minneti, MD
principal investigator · Passport Health New Jersey
Kristen Lyke, MD
principal investigator · Center of Vaccine Development, University of Maryland

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Dec 2009. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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