Influenza Vaccination

Abstract

Influenza viruses have traditionally been administered by intramuscular injection. The invention is based on the idea of using alternative routes of delivery for influenza vaccines, more specifically routes that do not require as large a dose of antigen. Delivery of influenza antigen to the Langerhans cells is the route of choice according to the invention. This route has been found to be particularly useful for vaccinating patients who are naive to influenza virus (i.e. have not previously mounted an immune response to an influenza virus), which means that it is advantageous for immunising young children.

1 . A method for immunizing a patient against influenza virus comprising the step of administering an immunogenic composition to the patient, wherein
 (a) the patient is immunologically naive to influenza virus;   (b) the immunogenic composition comprises an influenza virus antigen; and   (c) the immunogenic composition is delivered to the patient's Langerhans cells.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the patient is a child aged between 0 and 18 months. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic composition is delivered to the patient's Langerhans cells by intradermal injection, transdermal injection or topical administration. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic composition further comprises an adjuvant. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic composition comprises 15 μg of HA per strain of influenza virus. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic composition comprises between 0.1 and 8 μg of HA per strain of influenza virus. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the immunogenic composition has a volume of between 0.05 and 0.5 ml. 
   
   
       8 . A method for immunizing a patient against an influenza virus comprising the step of administering an immunogenic composition to the patient, wherein
 (a) the patient is immunologically naive to the influenza virus genus;   (b) the immunogenic composition comprises an influenza virus antigen; and   (c) the immunogenic composition is delivered to the patient's Langerhans.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the patient is immunologically naive to the influenza virus subtype. 
   
   
       10 . The use of an influenza virus antigen in the manufacture of a medicament for immunizing a patient against influenza virus, wherein:
 (a) the delivery device includes an immunogenic composition;   (b) the immunogenic composition comprises an influenza virus antigen; and   (c) the delivery device is adapted to deliver the immunogenic composition to Langerhans cells.