PreHevbrio: A New 3-Antigen Hepatitis B Vaccine for Adults

The main objective of this article is to review the immunogenicity and safety of the 3-antigen recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (3A-HepB) in adults.

A literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar (2000 to June 2022) with the search terms hepatitis B vaccine and 3-antigen. Other resources included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conference abstracts of liver meetings, the prescribing information, and the manufacturer's website.

All English-language articles of studies assessing the immunogenicity and safety of 3A-HepB in humans were included.

The 3A-HepB is licensed to prevent infection caused by all known subtypes of the hepatitis B virus in adults. It contains 3 hepatitis B surface antigens. The 3A-HepB has been shown to be noninferior to a single-antigen hepatitis B vaccine (1A-HepB). It is administered intramuscularly as a 3-dose series at 0, 1, and 6 months. The most commonly reported local reactions were injection site pain and tenderness, and the most commonly reported systemic reactions were headache, fatigue, and myalgia.

The introduction of 3A-HepB represents another step toward reducing the rates of new hepatitis B infections. However, clinical trials are needed to assess the immunogenicity of 3A-HepB in individuals at high-risk of nonresponse or low response to 1A-HepB, such as those with renal or hepatic impairment and those with altered immunocompetence.

The 3A-HepB represents another vaccine to prevent hepatitis B in adults. It is safe and immunogenic but is associated with more adverse reactions than 1A-HepB.