Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) announced that DynPort Vaccine Company, a CSC company, has entered into a Phase II clinical trial for its recombinant plague vaccine candidate, rF1V.

The Phase II trial will test different vaccine dosages and schedules in 400 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55. The clinical trial is under way and will continue into 2007 at eight locations across the United States.

The plague vaccine candidate, which is designed to provide protection against the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, was originally identified and developed by scientists working at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. Their work involved the identification of suitable protein antigens and the development of the processes used to assess the performance of the vaccine. Further development and manufacture of the vaccine candidate has been achieved by company under the Department of Defense Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program prime systems contract.