AstraZeneca self-administered nasal flu vaccine accepted for review by USFDA

Ravi Jhaveri, MD, Division Head, Infectious Disease; Virginia H. Rogers Professor in Infectious Diseases, Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, USA said, “A self-administered option for FluMist Quadrivalent would leverage the unique attributes of the product, providing a convenient new choice for individuals and families who want to protect their loved ones against flu. Vaccination rates for children and adults under 50 years of age declined in the 2022-2023 flu season, highlighting a need for more accessible solutions. The ability for individuals and parents to choose where to administer an injection-free flu vaccine could help increase access and, subsequently, vaccination rates, and greatly benefit those most impacted by this serious and contagious respiratory illness.”

Iskra Reic, Executive Vice President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca, said, “For more than 20 years, FluMist Quadrivalent has served as a critical public health tool as the only intranasal flu vaccine providing protection to communities around the world. FluMist now has the potential to be the first and only self-administered flu vaccine, which could revolutionise flu vaccination. Our ambition is for FluMist to be ordered directly to people’s homes, providing an innovative, more accessible option for individuals, families and communities.”

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus, which can cause serious complications to some groups, such as people 65 years and older, young children, and people with certain health conditions.