EMERYVILLE, Calif. - Dynavax (NASDAQ:DVAX) Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX), a biopharmaceutical company, announced today that the first participant has been dosed in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for Z-1018, its investigational vaccine candidate aimed at preventing shingles. The trial will assess the vaccine's safety, tolerability, and immune response in approximately 440 healthy adults aged 50 to 69 years in Australia.
The study will compare Z-1018 to the current market leader, Shingrix®, focusing on selecting the optimal dose and schedule for further development. Additionally, the trial will contribute to validating a tool to measure patient-reported outcomes, potentially aiding in future label claims about the vaccine's tolerability.
Dynavax's Chief Medical Officer, Rob Janssen, M.D., highlighted the established safety profile of the CpG 1018 adjuvant used in Z-1018 and its capability to induce strong CD4+ T-cell responses, which are critical for preventing herpes zoster virus reactivation.
Shingles, caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, can lead to severe pain and complications such as chronic pain. Despite available vaccines, there remains a need for alternatives with high efficacy and improved tolerability.
Dynavax is known for its commercial products, including the HEPLISAV-B® vaccine for hepatitis B and the CpG 1018® adjuvant used in various vaccines. The company expects to report initial data from the Z-1018 study in the second half of 2025.
The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Dynavax Technologies.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.