Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) bacteria is the most common cause of traveler’s diarrhea (affecting 20-50 % of international travelers to areas where the bacteria is endemic), to which there is no vaccine available in the United States.
Currently, to avoid traveler’s diarrhea, prophylactic antibiotics are being used – raising concerns for antibiotic resistance.
Iomai Corporation (Nasdaq: IOMI) has a vaccine patch for traveler’s diarrhea.
The double blind challenge study of the vaccine patch revealed that volunteers who received the vaccine before being exposed to high levels of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) bacteria had less severe diarrhea and were significantly less likely to require intravenous fluids than patients who were not vaccinated.
The vaccine patch utilizes Iomai’s transcutaneous immunization (TCI) technology – allowing the vaccine to be delivered to the immune system via a simple patch affixed to the skin.
Results of the said study were published online in advance of print publication in the journal Vaccine.
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