Promising Results from a Norovirus Vaccine Efficacy Trial in Humans

Norovirus infection is a common source of illness and affects all age groups. No effective therapy or vaccine is available yet for clinical use, but data from a new study suggest progress on the vaccine front.

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial (supported by both industry and the National Institutes of Health), healthy adults aged 18 to 50 who had a functional fucosyltransferase 2 gene (required for infection susceptibility to Norwalk virus) were given two intranasal doses of vaccine or placebo 3 weeks apart and then challenged orally with a norovirus that was homologous to that in the vaccine. The primary objective was to define the efficacy of the vaccine in preventing gastroenteritis caused by the Norw…