Safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in toddlers previously vaccinated with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Widespread use of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in children has led to significant reduction in pneumococcal disease in children and adults. However, diseases caused by serotypes not included in PCV7 have increased. A 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) containing serotypes in PCV7 and 8 additional serotypes (1, 3, 5, 6A, 7F, 19A, 22F, 33F) was developed and evaluated in toddlers 12 to 15 months of age. METHODS: Ninety toddlers who completed an infant series with PCV7 received a single dose of either aluminum-adjuvanted PCV15, nonadjuvanted PCV15, or PCV7. Injection-site and systemic adverse events (AEs) were collected for 14 days postvaccination and serious AEs (SAEs) were collected for 30 days postvaccination. Solicited AEs included local (pain/tenderness, swelling, nodule and redness) and systemic (fatigue, arthralgia and myalgia) AEs. Serotype-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and opsonophagocytic (OPA) responses were measured immediately prior and 30 days postvaccination. RESULTS: Incidences of local and systemic AEs were comparable across vaccine groups. The majority of reported events, regardless of vaccine received, were transient and of mild to moderate intensity. No clinically significant differences were observed when comparing duration and severity of AEs. No vaccine-related SAEs or discontinuations from the study due to AEs were reported. Pneumococcal IgG concentrations and OPA titers increased postvaccination, with appreciable fold rises for all serotypes. Antibody levels were comparable between both PCV15 formulations and generally comparable to PCV7 for the shared serotypes. CONCLUSION: Both formulations of PCV15 display acceptable safety profiles and induce IgG and OPA responses to all vaccine serotypes.

Concomitant use of an oral live pentavalent human-bovine reassortant rotavirus vaccine with licensed parenteral pediatric vaccines in the United States.

BACKGROUND: A live pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (PRV) containing 5 human-bovine (WC3) reassortants expressing human serotypes G1, G2, G3, G4 and P1A[8] was evaluated in a blinded, placebo-controlled study. Possible interactions between PRV and concomitantly administered licensed pediatric vaccines were investigated in a United States-based nested substudy (Concomitant Use Study) of the Rotavirus Efficacy and Safety Trial. METHODS: From 2002 to 2003, healthy infants approximately 6 to 12 weeks of age at entry were randomized to receive either 3 oral doses of PRV or placebo at 4- to 10-week intervals. Subjects were also to receive combined Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B vaccine (2 doses), diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (3 doses), inactivated poliovirus vaccine (2 doses) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (3 doses) on the same day; oral poliovirus vaccine was not administered. Immunogenicity was assessed by measuring antibody responses to PRV and antigens contained in the licensed vaccines. Cases of rotavirus gastroenteritis were defined by forceful vomiting and/or -3 watery or looser-than-normal stools within a 24-hour period, and detection of rotavirus antigen in the stool. Safety was assessed by reporting of adverse events using diary cards. RESULTS: The Concomitant Use Study enrolled 662 subjects in the PRV group and 696 subjects in the placebo group. For the 17 antigens in the concomitantly administered vaccines, antibody responses were similar in PRV and placebo recipients, except for moderately diminished antibody responses to the pertactin component of pertussis vaccine. Efficacy of PRV against rotavirus gastroenteritis of any severity was 89.5% (95% CI = 26.5-99.8%). PRV was generally well tolerated when given concomitantly with the prespecified vaccines. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, antibody responses to the concomitantly administered vaccines were generally similar in PRV and placebo recipients. PRV was efficacious and well tolerated when given concomitantly with pediatric vaccines licensed in the United States.

Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a two-dose regimen of high-titer varicella vaccine in subjects > or =13 years of age.

A new manufacturing process, known as process upgrade varicella vaccine (PUVV) was developed for a refrigerated formulation of varicella vaccine and for an investigational zoster vaccine. Safety and tolerability of a two-dose regimen of high-titered (approximately 50,000 PFU) PUVV were compared to a lower-titer formulation (approximately 5400 PFU) of VARIVAX; in 1366 healthy subjects > or =13 years old. Only one vaccine-related clinical serious adverse experience (pruritus; no hospitalization) was reported, in the VARIVAX group. Injection-site adverse experiences following any dose were higher in the PUVV group, 70.0%, than in the VARIVAX group, 56.2%, but generally were mild. Immunogenicity were similar in both groups in seronegative subjects. PUVV was generally well tolerated, and elicited an immune response similar to that induced by the marketed formulation of VARIVAX.