Meningococcal B vaccine and the vision of a meningitis free world

A century of traditional vaccinology lost the fight against meningococcus serogroup B (MenB). However, thanks to an innovative genome-based approach, the first broadly effective MenB vaccine, Bexsero® (GSK Vaccines), was developed and has been licensed for use in various age groups by the European Commission and other regulatory authorities. Genes encoding for the main meningococcus B antigens were identified and screened in order to achieve a broadly protective vaccine, taking into account the fact that meningococcus B has many different subtypes whose membrane proteins may be different. Since the antigens selected for Bexsero® are also harbored by meningococci belonging to other serogroups there may be the potential for Bexsero® to offer a certain level of protection against non-B serogroups. Therefore preliminary studies were carried out to investigate the potential of the vaccine to also provide a degree of cross protection against non-B serogroups. Here we review the potential for Bexsero® to offer a certain level of protection against the diversity of meningococcus type B subtypes and its potential ability to offer some cross protection from non-B serogroups. Lastly, we describe the future perspectives in pentavalent meningococcal vaccine (ABCWY) development which hopefully will result in a vaccine able to help prevent Invasive Meningococcal Diseases (IMD) from the majority of currently circulating meningococcal strains.