Blue Water Vaccines Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, is accelerating the development of a new vaccine candidate to combat the potential pandemic influenza strain, G4 EA H1N1, that was identified by scientists in China in the summer of 2020, it was reported on Thursday.

The company is producing a universal influenza vaccine candidate, offering protection from H1, H3 and Flu B. It has completed the initial design and in vivo analysis of the H1 vaccine candidate design.

The firm is also going ahead with its Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) vaccine candidate, aimed at specifically preventing middle ear infections called Acute Otitis Media in children. It has been indicated to effectively prevent colonisation of pneumococcus bacteria in the middle ear of chinchillas regardless of serotype. Acute Otitis Media accounts for around 20 million physician visits each year in the United States.