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A universal vaccine for serogroup B meningococcus
Marzia M Giuliani1, Jeannette Adu-Bobie, Maurizio Comanducci
1Novartis Vaccines, Via Fiorentina 1, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Summary
A new vaccine using reverse vaccinology targets serogroup B meningococcus, a cause of meningitis and sepsis. Adjuvants like aluminum hydroxide, CpG, or MF59 show promise in generating bactericidal antibodies against diverse strains.
Area of Science:
- Vaccinology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Serogroup B *Neisseria meningitidis* causes severe meningitis and sepsis with high mortality.
- Current vaccines lack universal coverage against diverse global strains.
- Reverse vaccinology offers a novel approach to identify potential vaccine targets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel vaccine against serogroup B meningococcus using reverse vaccinology-identified antigens.
- To assess the immunogenicity and strain coverage of the vaccine formulated with different adjuvants.
Main Methods:
- Five reverse vaccinology-identified antigens were expressed for large-scale manufacturing.
- Antigens were formulated with aluminum hydroxide, CpG oligonucleotides, or MF59 adjuvant.
- Bactericidal antibody activity was measured against a panel of 85 diverse meningococcal strains in mice.
Main Results:
- The vaccine adjuvanted with aluminum hydroxide induced bactericidal antibodies against 78% of tested strains.
- Addition of CpG oligonucleotides or MF59 adjuvant increased strain coverage to over 90%.
- The vaccine demonstrated potential for broad protection against global serogroup B meningococcal strains.
Conclusions:
- A novel vaccine candidate targeting serogroup B meningococcus has been developed.
- Adjuvant selection significantly impacts the vaccine's strain coverage and immunogenicity.
- This vaccine holds potential for preventing devastating childhood diseases caused by meningococcal infections.
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