Repeated-Dose Toxicity, Biodistribution, and Shedding Assessments With a ChAd155 Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Candidate Evaluated in Rabbits and Rats.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in infants, and toddlers and vaccines are not yet available. A pediatric RSV vaccine (ChAd155-RSV) is being developed to protect infants against RSV disease. The ChAd155-RSV vaccine consists of a recombinant replication-deficient chimpanzee-derived adenovirus (ChAd) group C vector engineered to express the RSV antigens F, N, and M2-1. The local and systemic effects of three bi-weekly intramuscular injections of the ChAd155-RSV vaccine was tested in a repeated-dose toxicity study in rabbits. After three intramuscular doses, the ChAd155-RSV vaccine was considered well-tolerated. Changes due to the vaccine-elicited inflammatory reaction/immune response were observed along with transient decreases in platelet count without physiological consequences, already reported for other adenovirus-based vaccines. In addition, the biodistribution and shedding of ChAd155-RSV were also characterized in two studies in rats. The distribution and persistence of the ChAd155-RSV vaccine candidate was consistent with other similar adenovector-based vaccines, with quantifiable levels of ChAd155-RSV observed at the injection site (muscle) and the draining lymph nodes up to 69 days post administration. The shedding results demonstrated that ChAd155-RSV was generally not detectable in any secretions or excreta samples. In conclusion, the ChAd155-RSV vaccine was well-tolerated locally and systemically.

Species-specific inflammatory responses as a primary component for the development of glomerular lesions in mice and monkeys following chronic administration of a second-generation antisense oligonucleotide.

Chronic administration of drisapersen, a 2'-OMe phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide (AON) to mice and monkeys resulted in renal tubular accumulation, with secondary tubular degeneration. Glomerulopathy occurred in both species with species-specific characteristics. Glomerular lesions in mice were characterized by progressive hyaline matrix accumulation, accompanied by the presence of renal amyloid and with subsequent papillary necrosis. Early changes involved glomerular endothelial hypertrophy and degeneration, but the chronic glomerular amyloid and hyaline alterations in mice appeared to be species specific. An immune-mediated mechanism for the glomerular lesions in mice was supported by early inflammatory changes including increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and other immunomodulatory genes within the renal cortex, increased stimulation of CD68 protein, and systemic elevation of monocyte chemotactic protein 1. In contrast, kidneys from monkeys given drisapersen chronically showed less severe glomerular changes characterized by increased mesangial and inflammatory cells, endothelial cell hypertrophy, and subepithelial and membranous electron-dense deposits, with ultrastructural and immunohistochemical characteristics of complement and complement-related fragments. Lesions in monkeys resembled typical features of C3 glomerulopathy, a condition described in man and experimental animals to be linked to dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway. Thus, inflammatory/immune mechanisms appear critical to glomerular injury with species-specific sensitivities for mouse and monkey. The lower observed proinflammatory activity in humans as compared to mice and monkeys may reflect a lower risk of glomerular injury in patients receiving AON therapy.

Safety evaluation of a whey protein fraction containing a concentrated amount of naturally occurring TGF-ß2.

TM0601p is a whey protein isolate derived from cow milk, containing a concentrated amount of transforming growth factor ß2 (TGF-ß2), and is intended for nutritional use in infants and adults. In vivo and in vitro studies have been performed to evaluate the safety of this product. In a 13-week toxicity study, treatment of adult Sprague-Dawley rats by gavage at up to 2000mg/kg/day did not result in any significant findings other than minor non-adverse changes in urinary parameters in females. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was established as 2000mg/kg/day. In a juvenile toxicity study, rat pups received 600mg/kg/day by gavage from postnatal day (PND) 7 to PND 49. Transient lower bodyweight gain in the pre-weaning period was attributed to gastrointestinal effects of the viscous test material; following weaning, bodyweight gain was comparable to the vehicle controls. Reduced eosinophil counts and changes in urinary parameters (females) were recorded in treated pups at PND 49, and higher thymus weights were recorded in males only at the end of the recovery period (Day 77). None of the findings were considered adverse. There were no other significant findings and the NOAEL was established as 600mg/kg/day. No evidence of genotoxicity was seen in the bacterial reverse mutation test or the in vitro micronucleus test. Overall the results obtained present a reassuring safety profile for TM0601p.

Yellow fever vaccine: comparison of the neurovirulence of new 17D-204 Stamaril™ seed lots and RK 168-73 strain.

The neurovirulence of two new candidate 17D-204 Stamaril™ working seed lots and that of two reference preparations were compared. The Stamaril™ working seed lots have been used for more than twenty years for the manufacturing of vaccines of acceptable safety and efficacy. The preparation designated RK 168-73 and provided by the Robert Koch Institute was used as a reference. It was confirmed that RK 168-73 strain was not a good virus control in our study because it has a very low neurovirulence regarding both the clinical and histopathological scores in comparison with Stamaril™ strain and is not representative of a vaccine known to be satisfactory in use. The results were reinforced by the phenotypic characterization by plaque assay demonstrating that RK 168-73 was very different from the Stamaril™ vaccine, and by sequencing results showing 4 mutations between Stamaril™ and RK 168-73 viruses leading to amino acid differences in the NS4B and envelop proteins.

Biodistribution and safety of a live attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine in the cynomolgus monkey.

BACKGROUND: The first licensed dengue vaccine is a recombinant, live, attenuated, tetravalent dengue virus vaccine (CYD-TDV; Sanofi Pasteur). This study assessed the biodistribution, shedding, and toxicity of CYD-TDV in a non-human primate model as part of the nonclinical safety assessment program for the vaccine. METHODS: Cynomolgus monkeys were given one subcutaneous injection of either one human dose (5log10 CCID50/serotype) of CYD-TDV or saline control. Study endpoints included clinical observations, body temperature, body weight, food consumption, clinical pathology, immunogenicity, and post-mortem examinations including histopathology. Viral load, distribution, persistence, and shedding in tissues and body fluids were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The subcutaneous administration of CYD-TDV was well tolerated. There were no toxicological findings other than expected minor local reactions at the injection site. A transient low level of CYD-TDV viral RNA was detected in blood and the viral genome was identified primarily at the injection site and in the draining lymph nodes following immunization. CONCLUSIONS: These results, together with other data from repeat-dose toxicity and neurovirulence studies, confirm the absence of toxicological concern with CYD-TDV and corroborate clinical study observations.

Toxicology, biodistribution and shedding profile of a recombinant measles vaccine vector expressing HIV-1 antigens, in cynomolgus macaques.

As a new human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine approach, the live-attenuated measles virus (MV) Schwarz vaccine strain was genetically engineered to express the F4 antigen (MV1-F4). F4 is a fusion protein comprising HIV-1 antigens p17 and p24, reverse transcriptase and Nef. This study assessed the toxicity, biodistribution and shedding profiles of MV1-F4. Cynomolgus macaques were intramuscularly immunized one or three times with the highest dose of MV1-F4 intended for clinical use, the reference (Schwarz) measles vaccine or saline, and monitored clinically for 11 or 85 days. Toxicological parameters included local and systemic clinical signs, organ weights, haematology, clinical and gross pathology and histopathology. Both vaccines were well tolerated, with no morbidity, clinical signs or gross pathological findings observed. Mean spleen weights were increased after three doses of either vaccine, which corresponded with increased numbers and/or sizes of germinal centers. This was likely a result of the immune response to the vaccines. Either vaccine virus replicated preferentially in secondary lymphoid organs and to a lesser extent in epithelium-rich tissues (e.g., intestine, urinary bladder and trachea) and the liver. At the expected peak of viremia, viral RNA was detected in some biological fluid samples from few animals immunized with either vaccine, but none of these samples contained infectious virus. In conclusion, no shedding of infectious viral particles was identified in cynomolgus monkeys after injection of MV1-F4 or Schwarz measles vaccines. Furthermore, no toxic effect in relation to the MV vaccination was found with these vaccines in this study.