Focetria (Novartis)

Focetria is an MF59-adjuvanted, inactivated monovalent subunit influenza vaccine originally developed by Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics (now part of Seqirus) for prophylaxis against the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic influenza virus. The vaccine contains purified surface antigens, specifically hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, from the A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) strain produced in embryonated chicken eggs. It is formulated with the MF59 adjuvant, a squalene-based oil-in-water emulsion designed to enhance the magnitude and breadth of the immune response. Focetria received WHO prequalification in 2009 and European Union marketing authorization in 2010; however, the authorization expired in 2015 due to a lack of demand following the end of the pandemic. Opera CRO, a Tigermed Group Company, conducted Phase 4 exploratory clinical studies to evaluate the antibody and cell-mediated immune responses to a single dose of the vaccine in healthy adults.

Brand names

Focetria

Other names

A/H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccineMF59-adjuvanted egg-derived inactivated novel swine origin A/H1N1 monovalent subunit influenza virus vaccineA(H1N1)v 2009 pandemic influenza vaccine