14 Mar New Mexico firm to make flu vaccine at Wisconsin BioManufacturing facility
Madison, Wis. – CytoDyn, a New Mexico-based biotechnology company, has selected the Waisman Clinical Bio-Manufacturing facility to manufacture its DNA-based, pre-flu vaccine.
Located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Waisman Center, the biomanufacturing facility is designed to manufacture clinical-grade biological pharmaceutical products for Phase I and II human clinical trials. CytoDyn hopes to have clinical trials underway before the end of next year’s flu season.
In partnership with the Waisman facility, the company will manufacture a vaccine that could provide an alternative to immunizations, and one that could make flu vaccines for the seasonal flu and bird flu more effective.
According to CytoDyn, the vaccine uses DNA technology to implant a false memory of previous exposure to the flu virus, including the inactivated virus contained in standard vaccines.
Waisman was selected in part because of its facilities for processing cell therapeutics, and its ability to assist CytoDyn throughout the development of a manufacturing process, including production and the testing of materials for human clinical trials.
CytoDyn, headquartered in Santa Fe, N.M., has expressed an interest in expediting the development of its pre-flu vaccine following reports that the first vaccine for the bird flu is less effective than first believed.
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