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NCT Number: NCT06620185

GEneRating Mucosal Immunity After INfluenzA Infection and Vaccination in Lung and Lymphoid TissuE

This experimental medicine study aims to compare immune responses in healthy adult volunteers aged 18-55 years against influenza vaccination and infection in the upper and lower respiratory tract, following administration of a live-attenuated influenza vaccine delivered by nasal spray versus influenza A (H3N2) viral challenge.

Recruiting

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Key information

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Imperial Clinical Research Facility, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

London, W12 0HS, United Kingdom

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Christopher Chiu

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Polly Fox

CONTACT

[email protected]

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Adults aged between 18-55 years inclusive
  • Sero-suitable as defined by a serum micro-neutralisation titre <1:20
  • Female participant who is not of child-bearing potential as assessed by an investigator OR is willing and able to use contraception as described in the protocol
  • Male participants who are willing to use one of the contraception methods described in the protocol
  • In good health with no clinically significant medical conditions

Exclusion criteria

  • History of clinically significant/currently active conditions;
  • Cardiovascular, thromboembolic/cerebrovascular disease.
  • Types of chronic respiratory disease in adulthood.
  • Significant wheeze in the past
  • Respiratory symptoms including wheeze, resulting in hospitalisation
  • Known bronchial hyperactivity to viruses
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Migraine with associated symptoms like hemiplegia/vision loss. Cluster headache/migraine/prophylactic treatment for migraine.
  • History of autoimmune disease/known immunodeficiency of any cause
  • Immunosuppression.
  • Known coagulation disorder/anticoagulant therapy
  • Psychiatric illness including participants with a history of depression and/or anxiety with associated psychiatric comorbidities
  • Other major disease that, under the PI's discretion, could interfere with the participant completing the study.
  • Concurrent serious illness including history of malignancy that could interfere with the study or a participant completing the study.
  • Known IgA deficiency/immotile cilia syndrome/Kartagener's syndrome
  • Significant abnormality altering the anatomy/function of the nose or nasopharynx, a clinically significant history of epistaxis within the last 3 months, nasal/sinus surgery within 6 months of Day 0, including nasopharyngeal malignancy, arterio-venous malformation, or undiagnosed nasopharyngeal mass
  • Inhaled bronchodilator/inhaled steroid use within the last 12 months before Day 0
  • Acute upper respiratory tract infection in the past 6 weeks.
  • Receipt of systemic glucocorticoids (in a dose ≥ 5 mg prednisone daily or equivalent) within one month, or any other cytotoxic or immunosuppressive drug within 6 months before Day 0
  • Receipt of any vaccine within 30 days of Day -14
  • Any significant medical condition/prescribed drug, under the PI's discretion
  • Presence of cold-like symptoms and/or fever on Day -14 or Day 0.
  • Receipt of blood/blood products/loss (including blood donations) of 550 mL or more of blood during the 3 months prior to Day -14.
  • Significant history/presence of drug/alcohol misuse by self-report.
  • Current use of drugs through nose inhalation or inhaled route including recreational drugs.
  • Regular smoking and/or vaping and/or using nicotine-containing products in the past 3 months OR >5 pack-year lifetime history by self-report (5 pack years is equivalent to one pack of 20 cigarettes per day for 5 years).
  • History of anaphylaxis and/or a history of severe allergic reaction or significant intolerance to any food/drug, as assessed by the PI.
  • Clinically active rhinitis (including hay fever)/history of moderate to severe rhinitis/history of seasonal allergic rhinitis likely to be active at the time of inclusion into the study and/or requiring regular nasal corticosteroids on an at least weekly basis, within 30 days of enrolment.
  • Anyone with any of the following contraindications to receiving the Fluenz Tetra Vaccine:
  • Allergy to gentamicin, gelatin or the other ingredients of the fluenz vaccine.

Treatment and study plan

FLUENZ

Biological

LAIV (Intranasal Influenza Vaccine)

Other names: Influenza vaccine, LAIV

Influenza challenge virus

Biological

Influenza challenge virus (H3N2 strain)

Primary outcomes

  1. Peak symptoms related to inoculation with a GMP-adherent influenza A (H3N2) virus in healthy adults aged 18-55

    Time frame: 14 days

    Peak self-reported symptom scores by modified Jackson score from the viral challenge (Day 0) up to Day 14 follow-up

  2. Average duration of symptoms related to inoculation with a GMP-adherent influenza A (H3N2) virus in healthy adults aged 18-55

    Time frame: 14 days

    Average duration of self-reported symptom scores by modified Jackson score from the viral challenge (Day 0) up to Day 14 follow-up

  3. To confirm symptoms related to inoculation with a GMP-adherent influenza A (H3N2) virus in healthy adults aged 18-55 by Area Under the Curve

    Time frame: 14 days

    Self-reported symptom scores by modified Jackson score from the viral challenge (Day 0) up to Day 14 follow-up (Area Under the Curve)

  4. Peak symptoms related to inoculation with LAIV in healthy adults aged 18-55

    Time frame: 14 days

    Peak self-reported symptom scores by modified Jackson score from the vaccination (Day 0) up to Day 14 follow-up

  5. Average duration of symptoms related to inoculation with LAIV in healthy adults aged 18-55

    Time frame: 14 days

    Average duration of self-reported symptom scores by modified Jackson score from the vaccination (Day 0) up to Day 14 follow-up (Peak, Duration, Area Under the Curve)

  6. To confirm symptoms related to inoculation with LAIV in healthy adults aged 18-55 by Area Under the Curve

    Time frame: 14 days

    Delf-reported symptom scores by modified Jackson score from the vaccination (Day 0) up to Day 14 follow-up (Area Under the Curve)

Secondary outcomes

  1. To assess influenza viral dynamics in upper respiratory samples

    Time frame: 28 days

    To assess influenza viral dynamics in upper respiratory samples using Viral load by RT-PCR

  2. To assess antibody levels in blood before and after influenza challenge infection

    Time frame: 28 days

    Antibody levels by ELISA, haemagglutination inhibition assay or microneutralisation

  3. To assess LAIV viral dynamics by RT-PCR in upper respiratory samples

    Time frame: 28 days

    To assess LAIV viral dynamics by RT-PCR in upper respiratory samples using Viral load by RT-PCR

  4. To assess antibody levels in blood before and after LAIV

    Time frame: 28 days

    Antibody levels by ELISA, haemagglutination inhibition assay or microneutralisation

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Polly Fox, MSc

CONTACT

[email protected]

0208383 3231

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Imperial College London

Other

Collaborators

  • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Registry information

Official study title

A Two-arm, Non-randomised, Open-label Experimental Medicine Study to Compare Immune Responses Between Healthy Volunteers Aged 18-55years Receiving Either an Intranasal Live-attenuated Influenza Vaccine or Viral Challenge With GMP Influenza A/Belgium/4217/2015 (H3N2)

Acronym: GERMINATE

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Oct 1, 2024
Registry last updated
Apr 20, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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