High Dose IMVAMUNE® in Vaccinia-Naive Individuals

This is an interventional prevention trial for Variola Major (Smallpox) focused on measuring smallpox, vaccine, IMVAMUNE® Read More

Inclusion Criteria:

Prior to initial vaccination:

• At least 18 years of age and born after 1971
• Read, sign, and date informed consent document
• Available for follow-up for the planned duration of the study (six months after last immunization)
• Acceptable medical history by screening evaluation and limited physical assessment
• If the subject is female and of childbearing potential, negative serum pregnancy test at screening and negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 24 hours prior to vaccination

• If the subject is female and of childbearing potential, she agrees to use acceptable contraception, and not become pregnant for 28 days following the last vaccination

  1. A woman is considered of childbearing potential unless post-menopausal (> 1 year) or surgically sterilized (tubal ligation, bilateral oophorectomy, or hysterectomy)
  2. Acceptable contraception methods are restricted to effective devices (IUDs, NuvaRing®) or licensed hormonal products with use of method for a minimum of 30 days prior to vaccination, abstinence from sexual intercourse with men (vaginal penetration by a penis, coitus), and monogamous relationship with a vasectomized partner.
• Negative enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) <1.25 times institutional upper limit of normal
• Negative hepatitis B surface antigen and negative antibody to hepatitis C virus
• Negative urine glucose and urine protein <1+ by dipstick or urinalysis
• Adequate renal function is defined as a serum creatinine not exceeding the institution's upper limit of normal.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG) in absence of clinical significance [e.g., complete left or right bundle branch block, incomplete left bundle branch block or sustained ventricular arrhythmia, or two premature ventricular contractions (PVC's) in a row, or sympathetic tonus (ST) elevation consistent with ischemia]

• The following blood parameters:

  1. Hemoglobin equal or above the lower limit of institutional normal (sex specific);
  2. White blood cells greater than 2,500 and less than 11,000/mm^3;
  3. Platelets greater than or equal to 140,000/mm^3
• Weight greater than or equal to 110 pounds

Inclusion Criteria that must be met prior to the second vaccination:

• Acceptable medical history
• ECG (obtained after Day 14 after first vaccination) in absence of clinical significance (e.g., complete left or right bundle branch block, incomplete left bundle branch block or sustained ventricular arrhythmia, or two PVC's in a row, or ST elevation consistent with ischemia)
• If the subject is female and of childbearing potential, negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 24 hours prior to vaccination

• If the subject is female and of childbearing potential, she agrees to use acceptable contraception, and not become pregnant for 28 days following the last vaccination

  1. A woman is considered of childbearing potential unless post-menopausal or surgically sterilized
  2. Acceptable contraception methods are restricted to effective devices (IUDs, NuvaRing®) or licensed hormonal products with use of method for a minimum of 30 days prior to vaccination, and abstinence from sexual intercourse with men (vaginal penetration by a penis, coitus)

Exclusion Criteria:

Exclusion criteria that apply prior to the initial vaccination:

• History of immunodeficiency
• Typical vaccinia scar
• Known or suspected history of smallpox vaccination including Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) alone or as a vector as well as other investigational smallpox vaccine
• Military service prior to 1991 or after January 2003
• Known or suspected impairment of immunologic function including, but not limited to, clinically significant liver disease, diabetes mellitus, or moderate to severe kidney impairment
• Malignancy not including squamous cell skin cancer or basal cell skin cancer unless at the vaccination site or history of skin cancer at the vaccination site

• Active autoimmune disease

  a. Persons with vitiligo or thyroid disease (e.g., taking thyroid hormone replacement) are not excluded

• History of myocardial infarction, angina, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, stroke or transient ischemic attack, or other heart condition under the care of a doctor
• Systolic blood pressure >/= 150 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure >/= 100 mmHg.
• Ten percent or greater risk of developing a myocardial infarction or coronary death within the next 10 years using the National Cholesterol Education Program's risk assessment tool (http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/calculator.asp)

NOTE that this criterion applies only to subjects 20 years of age and older and only if at least one of the following apply:

a. Have smoked a cigarette in the past month, and/or b. Have hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg) or are on antihypertensive medication, and/or c. Have a family history of coronary heart disease in male first-degree relative (father or brother) <55 years of age or a female first-degree relative (mother or sister) <65 years of age.

• High-dose steroid use for greater than 2 weeks duration within three months prior to vaccination and current use of immunosuppressive medication.

  1. Corticosteroid nasal sprays are permissible
  2. Persons who are using a topical steroid can be enrolled after their therapy is completed
  3. Inhaled steroids for asthma are not permissible
• Medical or psychiatric condition or occupational responsibilities that preclude subject compliance with the protocol
• Any history of illegal injection drug use
• Receipt or planned receipt of inactivated vaccine from 14 days prior to the first vaccination through 14 days post second vaccination
• Receipt or planned receipt of any other live attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to the first vaccination through 30 days post second vaccination
• Use of any other experimental agent within 30 days prior to vaccination and for the duration of the study
• Receipt of blood products or immunoglobulin within six months prior to vaccination
• Donation of a unit of blood within 56 days prior to vaccination or prior to Visit 9
• Acute febrile illness (greater than or equal to 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit) on the day of vaccination
• Pregnant or lactating women
• Eczema of any degree or history of eczema
• People with active atopic dermatitis, active exfoliative skin disorders/conditions, current Varicella zoster, or any acute skin disorders of large magnitude, e.g., laceration requiring sutures, burn greater than 2×2 cm
• Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might interfere with study objectives
• Known allergy to IMVAMUNE® vaccine
• Known allergy to egg or aminoglycoside (including gentamicin)
• Study personnel

Exclusion criteria that apply prior to the second vaccination:

• History of immunodeficiency
• Known or suspected impairment of immunologic function including, but not limited to, clinically significant liver disease, diabetes mellitus, or moderate to severe kidney impairment
• Malignancy not including squamous cell skin cancer or basal cell skin cancer unless at the vaccination site or history of skin cancer at the vaccination site

• Active autoimmune disease

  a. Persons with vitiligo or thyroid disease (e.g., taking thyroid hormone replacement) are not excluded

• History of myocardial infarction, angina, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, stroke or transient ischemic attack, or other heart condition under the care of a doctor
• Systolic blood pressure >/= 150 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure >/=100 mmHg

• High-dose steroid use for greater than 2 weeks duration within three months prior to vaccination and current use of immunosuppressive medication.

  1. Corticosteroid nasal sprays are permissible
  2. Persons who are using a topical steroid can be enrolled after their therapy is completed
  3. Inhaled steroids for asthma are not permissible
• Medical or psychiatric condition or occupational responsibilities that preclude subject compliance with the protocol
• Any history of illegal injection drug use
• Receipt or planned receipt of inactivated vaccine from 14 days prior to vaccination through 14 days post second vaccination
• Receipt or planned receipt of any other live attenuated vaccine from 30 days prior to vaccination through 30 days post second vaccination
• Use of any other experimental agent within 30 days prior to vaccination and for the duration of the study
• Receipt of blood products or immunoglobulin within six months prior to vaccination
• Donation of a unit of blood within 56 days prior to vaccination or prior to Visit 9
• Acute febrile illness (greater than or equal to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the day of vaccination
• Pregnant or lactating women
• Eczema of any degree or history of eczema
• People with active atopic dermatitis, active exfoliative skin disorders/conditions, current Varicella zoster, or any acute skin disorders of large magnitude, e.g., laceration requiring sutures, burn greater than 2×2 cm
• Any condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might interfere with study objectives
• Known allergy to IMVAMUNE® vaccine
• Known allergy to egg or aminoglycoside (including gentamicin)