Benzinga | Apr 1, 2021 09:37AM EDT

Altimmune's Anthrax Vaccine Candidate Shows Early Safety, Immunogenicity In Healthy Volunteers

* Altimmune Inc (NASDAQ: ALT) has reported data from Phase 1b trial evaluating its NasoShield intranasal anthrax vaccine candidate.

* The 1b trial evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of one and two-dose regimens of NasoShield in healthy volunteers. The trial was conducted with support from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).

* Data showed serum binding antibody responses to the protective antigen of Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium and causative agent of anthrax, were significantly greater than in the placebo arm.

* Antibody responses blocking anthrax toxin were blunted compared to protective antigen-antibody responses and were low compared to prior studies conducted with BioThrax, the only approved anthrax vaccine.

* Nasal mucosal IgA responses specific for protective antigen were observed in up to 80% of subjects post-vaccination.

* The safety and tolerability of NasoShield were favorable and comparable to intranasal saline placebo in both the number and characteristics of adverse or reactogenicity events, consistent with other clinical trials of Altimmune's intranasal vaccine candidates.

* Price Action: ALT shares are up 2.26% at $14.45 in premarket trading on the last check Thursday.