# Micro-Particle Delivery of a Potent Intracellular Adjuvant for a Universal Flu Vaccine

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2021 · $1,123,350

## Abstract

Abstract
The overarching purpose of this proposal is to produce a universal influenza vaccine using a new
micro-particle-adjuvant combination that generates dramatic dose-sparing and robust immune
enhancement effects. Influenza virus is a recurrent public health threat of international concern.
Current influenza viral vaccines are comprised of life attenuated virus, inactivated influenza vaccine
or recombinant influenza protein vaccine. The latter usually requires an adjuvant. However, a major
challenge is that dominant flu vaccine antigens such as hemagglutinin are highly variable among
different influenza strains, and hence new vaccines have to be produced annually. There is a
national push for an alternative approach relying on a universal influenza vaccine. This approach
involves common antigens that are shared among different influenza strains, but faces a major hurdle
in that these antigens are typically weakly immunogenic and requires a strong adjuvant for their
efficacy, which has not been achieved to date. Microbial pathogen-associated molecular patterns
(PAMP) are small molecules produced by microbes that stimulate the immune system, and these
have emerged as strong adjuvants. However the receptors for many PAMPs reside in the cytosol,
thus presenting a challenge for delivery. We have used a particle-based delivery system that
successfully delivers PAMPs inside the cell to activate their respective receptors. This produces a
robust adjuvant effect that does not cause toxicity or systemic inflammation. In the context of
hemagglutinin, this microparticle-PAMP combination enhances specific antibody response up to 105
fold over bare antigen, induces a strong T cell response and fully protects infected mice and ferrets.
This proposal plans to use this platform in a universal influenza vaccine. To advance this vaccine
platform towards pre-IND development, we have a regulatory expert and a toxicologist guiding us
throughout the proposal. In addition, a main industrial partner with expertise in particle production and
other contract research organizations have been recruited to assist us towards the development of a
lead universal vaccine. Thus, this proposal is fully responsive to the RFA-AI-17-042 and is focused
on the preclinical development of a robust vaccine candidate that elicits strong T and B cell
responses and cross-reacting antibodies to address one of the greatest public health concerns.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10067366
- **Project number:** 5R01AI141333-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** Eric Bachelder
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,123,350
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-12-14 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10067366

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10067366, Micro-Particle Delivery of a Potent Intracellular Adjuvant for a Universal Flu Vaccine (5R01AI141333-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10067366. Licensed CC0.

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