The overall aim of PANFLUVAC is to construct vaccine delivery systems for intranasal and parenteral vaccines. New H5N1 vaccines are to be based on well-established virosome technology The vaccine potency will be enhanced by novel adjuvants targeting dendritic cells, offering both antigen sparing potential and immunopotentiation characteristics. Both ISCOMs and lipopeptide adjuvants are already proven immunopotentiators, biosafe for humans. Certain of these have been employed with experimental influenza vaccines which allow the new H5N1 vaccines to be fast-tracked in their development. Accordingly, it is planned that PANFLUVAC will generate the first H5N1 vaccine within the first 18 months of the project.

The project is coordinated by The Institute for Virology and Immunoprophylaxis  and the partners are NIBSC; Crucell; Retroscreen; University of Bergen; Health Protection Agency; Istituto di Sanita; Helmholz –HZI  and SCIPROM .

The main potential applications are the following: a) An efficacious H5N1 vaccine for parenteral administration. b) An efficacious H5N1 vaccine for mucosal administration. c) ISCOMs as adjuvants for influenza vaccines. d) Safe adjuvants enhancing mucosal and systemic immunity. e) In vitro and ex vivo tests for vaccine evaluation, reducing animal experimentation. f) Immunological correlates of protection for rapidly identifying new efficacious vaccines. g) Promoting human health and well-being, and population confidence in the face of influenza immunogenicity.