Duke Medicine Selected as New Site for Competitive Vaccine and Treatment Research Program

[excerpt - editing below is mine]

September 26, 2013
DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke Medicine has been named a Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit (VTEU) by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, to evaluate vaccines, treatments and diagnostics to protect people from infectious diseases, including emerging public health needs.

Duke was the only new site named since 2007 to the existing group of eight VTEUs. Each institution has the potential to receive funding estimated to be up to $135 million annually over a seven-year period.

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Established in 1962, the VTEUs have been instrumental in the development of new vaccines, including the infant pneumococcal vaccine. They have also tested innovative ways to deliver protection from infectious diseases, including a nasal spray alternative to the flu shot. VTEUs are also beginning to play a growing role in testing treatments for viral infections and improving diagnostic tools.

A key strength of VTEUs is their ability to enroll large numbers of participants in clinical trials to rapidly test vaccines in public health emergencies such as pandemic flu. Researchers can quickly gather and share information on vaccine safety and effectiveness, which is critical during pandemic situations.

http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/duke-medicine-selected-as-new-site-for-competitive-vaccine-and-treatment-research-program