Inclusion Criteria
Participants eligible to participate in this study must meet all of the following inclusion criteria:
1. Provide written informed consent prior to initiation of any study procedure.
2. Are able to understand and comply with planned study procedures and be available for all study visits.
3. Agree to remain an inpatient for at least seven days after challenge, AND until they have no virus shedding,1 determined by qualitative RT-PCR for a minimum of two consecutive days post-challenge 1For a minimum of seven days post-challenge (Study Day 8).
4. Healthy2 males and non-pregnant, non-breastfeeding females3 aged ≥18 and ≤45 years of age, inclusive, at enrollment.
2Good health is defined in inclusion criteria #10. 3Females participants of childbearing potential must agree to have a serum pregnancy test at screening, a urine pregnancy test before CXR performed (if more than 7 days have passed between CXR and serum pregnancy test), and a urine pregnancy test upon admission to the inpatient unit prior to CHI, and results must be negative.
5\. Women of childbearing potential4 must agree to use or have practiced true abstinence5 or use at least 1 acceptable primary form of contraception6,7 These criteria are applicable to females in a heterosexual relationship and child-bearing potential (i.e., the criteria do not apply to participants in a same sex relationship).
4Not of child- bearing potential - post-menopausal females (defined as having a history of amenorrhea for at least one year) or a documented status as being surgically sterile (hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, tubal ligation/salpingectomy, or Essure® placement with history of documented radiological confirmation test at least 90 days after the procedure).
5True abstinence is 100% of time no sexual intercourse (male's penis enters the female's vagina). (Periodic abstinence \[e.g. calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, post-ovulation methods\] and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception).
6Acceptable forms of primary contraception include intrauterine devices, birth control pills, and injectable/implantable/insertable hormonal birth control products monogamous relationship with a vasectomized partner who has been vasectomized for180 days or more prior to the subject receiving the influenza challenge virus.
7Must use at least one acceptable primary form of contraception for at least 30 days prior to admission and at least one acceptable primary form of contraception during the remainder of the study.
6\. Non-habitual smoker8 of tobacco, or marijuana. 8Non-habitual smokers are those who smoke no more than four cigarettes, other tobacco products, vaping (e-cigarettes) or marijuana in a week for more than three months and agree not to smoke cigarettes, other tobacco products, e-cigarettes and/or marijuana products during participation in the study.
7\. No self-reported or known history of alcoholism or drug use within the last 30 days and agrees to abstain from alcohol and drugs9 for at least one week before admission and throughout the inpatient period.
9 including forms of marijuana not included in criterion 6 8. Negative drug urine toxicology result on screening (i.e., amphetamines, cocaine, and opiates). and on admission to the challenge unit (i.e., amphetamines, cocaine, and opiates).
9\. Agree not to use the listed10 prescription or over-the-counter medications within 7 days prior to inpatient stay and through inpatient stay, unless approved by the investigator.
10Oseltamivir, zanamivir, peramivir, baloxavir marboxil, amantadine (generic) and rimantadine (Flumadine and generic), aspirin, intranasal steroids, decongestants, antihistamines, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
10\. In good health11 and not have clinically significant medical, psychiatric, chronic or intermittent health conditions including those listed in Exclusion Criteria.
11Good health, as determined by medical history, medication use and physical examination to evaluate ongoing chronic medical or psychiatric diagnoses or conditions, defined as those that have been present for at least 90 days, which would not affect the assessment of the safety of participants or the immunogenicity of challenge. These medical diagnoses or conditions should be stable for the last 90 days (no hospitalizations, emergency room (ER) or urgent care for condition (excluding musculoskeletal conditions) and not listed in Exclusion Criteria (Section 5.1.2). Participants may be on medications only if the condition or disease is stable and not deteriorating, if the medical intervention (such as device or medication) was not available during the maximal inpatient period of time, medications are not listed in the Exclusion Criteria (Section 5.1.2.) and pose no additional risk to subject safety or assessment of adverse events. This also includes no change in prescription medication, dose or frequency as a result of new symptoms or deterioration of the medical diagnosis or condition in the 90 days prior to enrollment. Any prescription change that is due to change of health care provider, insurance company, etc., or that is done for financial reasons, as long as in the same class of medication, will not be considered a deviation of this inclusion criterion. Any change in prescription medication due to improvement of a disease outcome (e.g., lowering of the dosage or frequency), as determined by the site principal investigator (PI) or designated clinician licensed to make medical diagnoses and listed on Form FDA 1572, will not be considered a deviation of this inclusion criterion.
11\. Does not have an ongoing symptomatic condition12 for which subject has had or has ongoing medical investigations but has not yet received a diagnosis or treatment plan.
12e.g., ongoing fatigue without a diagnosis for symptom. 12. Vital signs as follows13: 13pulse is 47 to 99 beats per minute, inclusive; systolic blood pressure is 85 to 139 mmHg, inclusive; diastolic blood pressure is 55 to 89 mmHg, inclusive; SpO2 \>95%; RR\<18; oral temperature is less than 100.0°F.
13\. Eligibility laboratory values (WBC, Absolute Lymphocyte Count, Hgb, PLTs, ALT and Cr) are within acceptable parameters.
14\. Body mass index (BMI) \>18.5 and \<35 kg/m2 at screening. 15. Other screening tests (ECG and CXR) are within normal reference range or not deemed clinically significant by the PI or appropriate sub-investigator14 14Designated clinician licensed to make medical diagnoses and listed on the Form FDA 1572 16. H3N2 Challenge virus MN titer done in SLU VTEU research lab during screening to allow selection for enrollment of subjects with the broadest range of pre-existing H3N2 immunity.
17\. Negative test for HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) at screening blood draw.
18\. Negative respiratory virus panel by BIOFIRE® FILMARRAY® respiratory panel by bioMérieux or by Luminex xTAG® on Day -2, and Day -1.
Exclusion Criteria
Participants eligible to participate in this study must not meet any of the following exclusion criteria:
1. Female subject who has a positive pregnancy test on screening or admission, is breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant from 30 days prior to challenge through the end of the study.
2. Presence of self-reported or medically documented significant medical or psychiatric condition(s)15 15Significant medical or psychiatric conditions include but are not limited to:
1. Respiratory disease (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease \[COPD\], asthma) requiring daily medications15 currently or any treatment of respiratory disease exacerbations (e.g., asthma exacerbation) in the last 5 years 16Asthma medications: inhaled, oral, or intravenous (IV) corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, long and short acting beta agonists, theophylline, ipratropium, biologics.
2. Presence of any febrile illness or symptoms suggestive of a respiratory infection within two weeks prior to CHI.
3. Cardiovascular disease (e.g., congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease) or history of myocarditis or pericarditis as an adult.
4. Neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, seizures, encephalopathy, focal neurologic deficits, Guillain-Barre syndrome, encephalomyelitis or transverse myelitis).
5. Ongoing malignancy or recent diagnosis of malignancy in the last five years excluding basal cell carcinoma of the skin, which is allowed.
6. An autoimmune disease.
7. An immunodeficiency of any cause.
8. A history of diabetes.
3. Presence of immunosuppression or any medications that may be associated with impaired immune responsiveness17- 17Including, but not limited to, corticosteroids exceeding 10 mg/day of prednisone equivalent, allergy injections, immunoglobulin, interferon, immunomodulators, cytotoxic drugs, or systemic corticosteroids or other similar or toxic drugs during the preceding 12-month period prior to screening. Low dose topical and intranasal steroid preparations used for a discrete period of time are permitted (Section 7.1).
4. Known allergy or intolerance to treatments for influenza (including but not limited to oseltamivir, baloxavir marboxil, acetaminophen).
5. Known allergy to two or more classes of antibiotics (e.g., penicillins, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, or glycopeptides).
6. Known allergy to excipients in the challenge virus inoculum.
7. Receipt or planned receipt of any investigational drug/investigational vaccine/licensed vaccine within 30 days prior to the date of CHI.
8. Prior enrollment in any influenza virus challenge study.
9. Currently enrolled in any investigational study or intends to enroll in such a study within the ensuing study period.
10. Receipt of any influenza vaccine six months prior to challenge or plans to receive influenza vaccine within 60 days post-challenge.
11. History of a previous severe allergic reaction of any kind with generalized urticaria, angioedema, or anaphylaxis.
12. Receipt of blood or blood products during the six months prior to the planned date of challenge.
13. History of blood donation during the two months prior to the planned date of challenge and or plans to donate blood for the duration of the study.
14. Any condition, to include medical and psychiatric conditions, that in the opinion of the Investigator, might interfere with the safety of the subject and/or study objectives.
15. Known close contact with anyone known to have influenza 7 days prior to challenge.
16. Acute medical condition with new prescription medication use in the last 30 days.
17. Significant abnormality altering the anatomy of the nose/nasopharynx18 clinically significant nasal deviation, or nasal/sinus surgery within 180 days prior to challenge.
18including significant nasal polyps. 18. History in the last five years of chronic or frequent intermittent sinusitis.
19\. Recent history (180 days) of epistaxis or anatomic or neurologic abnormality impairing the gag reflex or contributing to aspiration.
