Leo Poon School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Influenza vaccine has been available for over 70 years, yet influenza still causes epidemics or pandemic with substantial morbidity and mortality. The protective responses induced by current human influenza vaccines still primarily depend on vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) against the HA head of a specific subtype. Studies form the last two decades invented new vaccine approach to induce broadly reactive heterosubtypic immunities against influenza viruses. International health organizations, such as World Health Organization, therefore urge for new developments that can induce broadly reactive immune responses against influenza caused by different subtypes. In this presentation, we will discuss some of our work in these areas. Specifically, the potential use of broadly reactive anti-HA stem antibodies will be discussed. In addition, various strategies of using live-attenuated influenza virus or other viral vectors to induce heterosubtypic protection will be mentioned.
Funding: The work conducted in Hong Kong was supported in part by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health (contract no. N272201400006C), Theme-based Research Scheme from Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (project no. T11-705/14N) and Health and Medical Research Fund, Hong Kong (project no. 14131092).
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