Safety and immunogenicity of a new Sabin inactivated poliovirus vaccine candidate produced on the PER.C6® cell-line: a phase 1 randomized controlled trial in adults.

This first-in-human study (NCT03032588), conducted in Belgium, evaluated a new inactivated poliovirus vaccines (IPV) candidate based on Sabin poliovirus strains grown on the high-yield PER.C6® cell line. Healthy adults (N = 32) were randomized (1:1) to receive a single dose of PER.C6-based Sabin-IPV (sIPV, 15:35:112.5 DU/dose) or conventional Salk-IPV (cIPV, 40:8:32 DU/dose). Reactogenicity was assessed up to 7 days after vaccination, immunogenicity 28 days after vaccination, and safety up to 6 months after vaccination.Solicited adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate, no changes of concern in vital signs or safety laboratory values were observed, and no severe AEs (SAEs) or vaccine-related unsolicited AEs were reported after vaccination. A trend to more frequent solicited AEs after sIPV than after cIPV administration was observed. Most participants had preexisting neutralizing antibodies against poliovirus types (titer ≥8), which were strongly boosted by sIPV. Post-vaccination geometric mean titers were high (≥12,000) and similar across the two vaccination groups. Only participants with very high preexisting antibody levels did not show a vaccine-induced response, defined in seropositive participants as a 4-fold titer increase. The 10 initially seronegative (titer <8) participants (n = 5 in each study group) seroconverted and all participants had seroprotective antibody levels post-vaccination. The antibodies elicited by sIPV neutralized both Sabin and Salk poliovirus strains.In conclusion, the PER.C6®-based sIPV was well tolerated and highly immunogenic in adults with preexisting antibodies to poliovirus.

Safety and tolerability of cell culture-derived and egg-derived trivalent influenza vaccines in 3 to <18-year-old children and adolescents at risk of influenza-related complications.

BACKGROUND: This descriptive, non-comparative, phase III study evaluated the safety and tolerability of cell culture-derived (TIVc) and egg-derived (TIV) seasonal influenza vaccines in children at risk of influenza-related complications. METHODS: Four hundred and thirty subjects were randomized 2:1 to TIVc or TIV. Subjects aged 3 to <9 years received one dose (if previously vaccinated, n=89) or two doses (if not previously vaccinated, n=124) of the study vaccines; the 9 to <18-year-olds (n=213) received one dose. Reactogenicity was assessed for 7 days after vaccination; safety was monitored for 6 months. RESULTS: After any vaccination, the most frequently reported solicited local adverse event (AE) was tenderness/pain (TIVc 44%, 66%, 53% and TIV 56%, 51%, 65% in the age groups 3 to <6 years, 6 to <9 years, and 9 to <18 years, respectively) and the systemic AE was irritability (22% TIVc, 24% TIV) in 3 to <6-year-olds and headache in 6 to <9-year-olds (20% TIVc, 13% TIV) and 9 to <18-year-olds (21% TIVc, 26% TIV). There were no cases of severe fever (≥40°C). No vaccine-related serious AEs were noted. New onset of chronic disease was reported in ≤1% of subjects. CONCLUSION: TIVc and TIV had acceptable tolerability and similar safety profiles in at-risk children (NCT01998477).

A randomized, observer-blind Phase Ib study to identify formulations and vaccine schedules of a trivalent Group B Streptococcus vaccine for use in non-pregnant and pregnant women.

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in early infancy. Substantial data demonstrate that women with higher levels of circulating antibody against the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) deliver infants at reduced risk of GBS infection, which serves as the basis for vaccine design. This study evaluates two different dosages, two injection schedules and three formulations of an investigational trivalent (serotypes Ia, Ib and III) CRM197-glycoconjugate GBS vaccine in healthy, non-pregnant women. METHODS: 678 healthy non-pregnant women received one or two injections of one of two dosages (5/5/5 µg or 20/20/20 µg) of the investigational vaccine, formulated with or without aluminum hydroxide (Enrollment Group 1), or with full or half dosages of MF59(®) (Enrollment Group 2); or a placebo (Enrollment Groups 1 and 2). Geometric mean serotype-specific antibody concentrations (GMCs) at Days 61 (Enrollment Group 1) and 361 (both Groups) were analyzed to select a formulation suitable for pregnant or non-pregnant women, respectively. Solicited adverse reactions were recorded up to Day 7 and adverse events (AEs) were recorded throughout the study. RESULTS: Rates of reported AEs were similar across all groups. Higher rates of local reactogenicity were seen in adjuvanted vaccine groups compared with non-adjuvanted vaccine (or placebo) groups. All vaccine groups elicited higher GMCs than placebo; differences between treatments were not statistically significant, indicating no additional potential benefit of higher antigen content, addition of adjuvant, or a second dose. CONCLUSIONS: All GBS vaccine formulations induced a persistent antibody response and showed similar immunogenicity profiles (NCT01150123).

Safety and tolerability of a cell culture derived trivalent subunit inactivated influenza vaccine administered to healthy children and adolescents: A Phase III, randomized, multicenter, observer-blind study.

BACKGROUND: Cell culture-derived inactivated influenza vaccines (TIVc) are necessary for scale and predictability of production to meet global demand. This study compared the safety and tolerability of TIVc with an egg-derived trivalent influenza vaccine (TIVf) in 4-17 yearolds. METHODS: A Phase 3 observer blind, multicenter study enrolled 2055 healthy participants randomized 2:1 to receive either TIVc or TIVf, respectively (1372 TIVc and 683 TIVf evaluable subjects). Participants received one dose each on Days 1 and 28 (4-8 year-olds not previously vaccinated [NPV]) or one dose on Day 1 (4-8 and 9-17 yearolds previously vaccinated [PV]). Solicited adverse events (AEs) occurring within 7 days after each vaccination were assessed; participants were followed up for 6 months after their last dose for safety. RESULTS: Most solicited and unsolicited AEs were mild to moderate with <1% in the severe category. No withdrawals due to AEs, deaths or vaccine-related SAEs were reported. TIVc and TIVf were similar in percentages of participants reporting solicited reactions in 4-8 years NPV group after the 1st dose: local reactions, TIVc: 48%, TIVf: 43%; systemic reactions, TIVc: 34%, TIVf: 32%; percentages were lower following the 2nd dose in TIVc; local reactions: TIVc: 40%; TIVf: 43%; systemic reactions: TIVc: 21%; TIVf: 22%. In 4-17 years PV group, solicited reactions were lower following TIVf, local reactions: TIVc: 53%; TIVf: 43%; systemic reactions: TIVc: 37%, TIVf: 30%. Injection-site pain was the most common solicited reaction, and was similar following TIVc and TIVf in 4-8 yearolds (TIVc: 56%; TIVf: 55%), and lower following TIVf in 9-17 years group (TIVc: 52%; TIVf: 42%). Reporting of unsolicited AEs was similar for TIVc and TIVf across the two age groups. CONCLUSION: TIVc was well tolerated and had a safety and reactogenicity profile similar to that of TIVf in healthy 4-17 yearolds (NCT01857206).