First in humans: A new molecularly defined vaccine shows excellent safety and strong induction of long-lived Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific Th1-cell like responses

Author(s):
Ottenhoff, T.H.; Doherty, T.M.; Dissel, J.T. van; Bang, P.; Lingnau, K.; Kromann, I.; Andersen, P.
Published
2010
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major killer worldwide. The only available TB vaccine, the nearly century-old Mycobacterium bovis BCG, has had only a limited effect on TB incidence. Therefore, developing new TB vaccines is a key priority, and the first new generation TB vaccines are now being tested in clinical trials. Here we describe the development and first testing in humans of a novel, wholly synthetic TB subunit vaccine. This vaccine has proven safe and highly immunogenic in all species in which it was tested, including mice, guinea pigs, non-human primates and humans. Most encouragingly, following vaccination in humans, strong IFN gamma responses persisted through at least 2 1/2 years of follow-up, indicating induction of a substantial memory response by this new TB vaccine. These findings encourage further preclinical and clinical studies with TB subunit vaccines and cellular immunity-stimulating new adjuvants.

tuberculosis subunit vaccine adjuvant clinical trial immune responses long term memory calmette-guerin vaccination guinea-pig model t-cell responses protective immunity subunit vaccines interferon-gamma environmental mycobacteria adjuvant modulation aerosol infection bcg vaccine
Date issued
2010-12-31
Language
English
Is part of
Human Vaccines (2010), Vol. 6, no. 12, p. 1007-1015
hdl
1887/109811
doi
10.4161/hv.6.12.13143