FluMist is Back, Says the CDC

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted in favor of FLUMIST® QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal) in the US for the 2018-2019 season.

The FLUMIST remained recommended for use in Canada and EU during 2018.

Over the past 2 years, the ACIP found that the FluMist vaccine had grown less effective in the USA, possibly due to shifts in circulating flu strains.

The ACIP’s recommendation led the CDC to say FluMist should not be used in the U.S. for the past 2 years.

FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT is a vaccine that is sprayed into the nose to help protect against influenza. It can be used in children, adolescents, and adults ages 2 through 49.

AstraZeneca initiated a clinical study in 200 US children between the ages of 2 to <4 years evaluating the shedding and antibody responses of the new 2017-2018 H1N1 LAIV vaccine (containing the A/Slovenia strain) and the 2015-2016 H1N1 LAIV vaccine (containing the A/Bolivia strain).

After the first dose of FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT, 23% of children vaccinated with the 2017-2018 H1N1 LAIV strain developed a 4-fold antibody rise, compared to 5% with the 2015-2016 H1N1 LAIV strain.

After the second dose, those results increased to 45% and 12% respectively. The data also demonstrate that the new 2017-2018 H1N1 LAIV strain resulted in increased vaccine virus replication in vaccinated children.

Gregory Keenan, Vice President, US Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca, said: “This study validates the improvements we’ve made to our strain selection process and confirms an improved H1N1 LAIV strain was included in the 2017-2018 formulation.”

FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT will be available in the US for the 2018-2019 influenza season, pending annual strain approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT is similar to MedImmune’s trivalent influenza vaccine, except FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT provides protection against an additional influenza strain. FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT may not prevent influenza in everyone who gets vaccinated.

Please see complete FluMist Product Information, including Prescribing Information.