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Leroux-Roels I, Willems P, Waerlop G, Janssens Y, Tourneur J, De Boever F, Bruhwyler J, Alhatemi A, Jacobs B, Nicolas F, Leroux-Roels G, Le Vert A. Immunogenicity, safety, and preliminary efficacy evaluation of OVX836, a nucleoprotein-based universal influenza A vaccine candidate: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2a trial. Lancet Infect Dis 2023; 23:1360-1369. [PMID: 37517422 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00351-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND OVX836, a recombinant vaccine containing the nucleoprotein of the influenza A virus A/WSN/1933 (H1N1) and the oligomerisation domain OVX313, has displayed a good safety profile and elicited dose-dependent humoral and cellular immune responses at 90 μg or 180 μg (intramuscularly) in previous clinical trials. The aim of this study was to explore higher doses, since no maximum tolerated dose had been reached. METHODS In this phase 2a, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we recruited 137 healthy adults aged 18-55 years in a single centre in Belgium. Participants were randomly assigned (interactive web response system; block size=4) using SAS (version 9.4) to receive one single intramuscular administration of OVX836 influenza vaccine at three doses (180 μg [n=33], 300 μg [n=35], and 480 μg [n=36]) or placebo (n=33). The two primary endpoints were the safety and the cell-mediated immune response to OVX836 at the three doses in terms of change of nucleoprotein-specific IFNγ spot forming cell (SFC) frequencies in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) population, measured by IFNγ ELISpot, at day 8 versus pre-injection baseline (day 1). The population used for the safety analysis is the modified intention-to-treat cohort. The population used for the immunogenicity analysis is the per-protocol cohort. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05060887, and EudraCT, 2021-002535-39. FINDINGS Participants were recruited between Nov 15, 2021, and Feb 1, 2022. OVX836 had a favourable safety profile up to 480 μg without reaching the maximum tolerated dose, and showed a good safety profile at all doses with mild local and systemic reactogenicity. 7 days after vaccination, although no significant differences were observed between the doses, OVX836 increased the frequency of nucleoprotein-specific IFNγ SFCs per million PBMCs from days 1 to 8 (primary endpoint): by 124 SFCs per 106 PMBCs (95% CI 67 to 180; p=0·002) at 180 μg; by 202 SFCs per 106 PMBCs (95% CI 138 to 267; p<0·0001) at 300 μg; by 223 SFCs per 106 PMBCs (95% CI 147 to 299; p<0·0001) at 480 μg; and decreased by 1 SFCs per 106 PMBCs (95% CI -24 to 22] in the placebo group (Kruskal-Wallis test p<0·0001 followed by Mann-Whitney's tests; per-protocol cohort). Dose-dependent and polyfunctional nucleoprotein-specific CD4 T-cell responses were observed, and CD8 T-cell responses were elicited at 300 μg and 480 μg (secondary endpoints). INTERPRETATION OVX836 appears to be a safe and well tolerated candidate vaccine that elicits humoral and cellular nucleoprotein-specific immune responses (including CD8 T cells at the highest dose levels) and showed a preliminary signal of protection against influenza. Therefore, OVX836 is a promising vaccine candidate for universal influenza A prevention, that warrants further trials. FUNDING OSIVAX, Bpifrance, Wallonia Region, and the EUs Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program.
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Primard C, Monchâtre-Leroy E, Del Campo J, Valsesia S, Nikly E, Chevandier M, Boué F, Servat A, Wasniewski M, Picard-Meyer E, Courant T, Collin N, Salguero FJ, Le Vert A, Guyon-Gellin D, Nicolas F. OVX033, a nucleocapsid-based vaccine candidate, provides broad-spectrum protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants in a hamster challenge model. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1188605. [PMID: 37409116 PMCID: PMC10319154 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1188605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spike-based COVID-19 vaccines induce potent neutralizing antibodies but their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants decreases. OVX033 is a recombinant protein composed of the full-length nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 genetically fused to oligoDOM®, a self-assembling domain which improves antigen immunogenicity. OVX033 including N as an antigenic target is proposed as new vaccine candidate providing broad-spectrum protection against sarbecoviruses. OVX033 demonstrated its ability to trigger cross-reactive T cell responses and cross-protection against three variants of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1 Europe, Delta B.1.617.2, and Omicron B.1.1.529) in a hamster challenge model, as evidenced by lower weight loss, lower lung viral loads, and reduced lung histopathological lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Franck Boué
- ANSES, Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, Malzéville, France
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Leroux-Roels I, Waerlop G, Tourneur J, De Boever F, Maes C, Bruhwyler J, Guyon-Gellin D, Moris P, Del Campo J, Willems P, Leroux-Roels G, Le Vert A, Nicolas F. Randomized, Double-Blind, Reference-Controlled, Phase 2a Study Evaluating the Immunogenicity and Safety of OVX836, A Nucleoprotein-Based Influenza Vaccine. Front Immunol 2022; 13:852904. [PMID: 35464450 PMCID: PMC9022189 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.852904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OVX836 is a recombinant protein-based vaccine targeting the highly conserved influenza nucleoprotein (NP), which aims to confer a broad-spectrum protection against influenza. In a Phase 1 study, OVX836, administered intramuscularly, has been found safe and immunogenic. The 90µg and 180µg dose levels were selected to be further evaluated in this randomized, monocenter, reference-controlled (Influvac Tetra™: quadrivalent seasonal influenza subunit vaccine), parallel group, double-blind, Phase 2a study in 300 healthy volunteers, aged 18-65 years, during the 2019/2020 flu season. Safety, influenza-like illness episodes (ILI; based on the Flu-PRO® questionnaire) and immunogenicity were assessed up to 180 days post-vaccination. OVX836 was safe and presented a reactogenicity profile similar to Influvac Tetra. It induced a significant increase in terms of NP-specific interferon-gamma (IFNγ) spot forming cells (SFCs), NP-specific CD4+ T-cells (essentially polyfunctional cells) and anti-NP IgG responses. OVX836 was superior to Influvac Tetra for all immunological parameters related to NP, and the 180µg dose was significantly superior to the 90µg dose for SFCs and CD4+ T-cells expressing IFNγ. Both the CD4+ T-cell and the anti-NP IgG responses persisted up to Day 180. An efficacy signal was observed with OVX836 at 180µg through reduction of ILI episodes occurring during the flu season as of 14 days post-vaccination. In conclusion, these results encourage further clinical evaluation of OVX836 in order to confirm the signal of efficacy on ILIs and/or laboratory-confirmed influenza cases. NCT04192500 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04192500).
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Leroux-Roels
- Center for Vaccinology (CEVAC), Ghent University and University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gwenn Waerlop
- Center for Vaccinology (CEVAC), Ghent University and University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Fien De Boever
- Center for Vaccinology (CEVAC), Ghent University and University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Catherine Maes
- Center for Vaccinology (CEVAC), Ghent University and University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Geert Leroux-Roels
- Center for Vaccinology (CEVAC), Ghent University and University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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Withanage K, De Coster I, Cools N, Viviani S, Tourneur J, Chevandier M, Lambiel M, Willems P, Le Vert A, Nicolas F, Van Damme P. Phase 1 randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-escalating study to evaluate OVX836, a nucleoprotein-based influenza vaccine: intramuscular results. J Infect Dis 2021; 226:119-127. [PMID: 34653245 PMCID: PMC9373130 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background OVX836 is a recombinant protein vaccine targeting the highly conserved influenza nucleoprotein (NP), which could confer broad-spectrum protection against this disease. Methods A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-escalating, single- center, first-in-human study was conducted in 36 healthy adults aged 18–49 years. Twelve subjects per cohort (9 vaccine and 3 placebo) received 2 OVX836 intramuscular administrations on days 1 and 28 at the dose level of 30 µg, 90 µg, or 180 µg. Safety and immunogenicity were assessed after each vaccination and for 150 days in total. Results OVX836 was safe and well tolerated at all dose levels, with no difference in solicited local and systemic symptoms, and unsolicited adverse events between the first and second administration, or between dose levels. All subjects presented pre-existing NP-specific immunity at baseline. OVX836 induced a significant increase in NP-specific interferon-gamma T cells and anti-NP immunoglobulin G at all dose levels after the first vaccination. The second vaccination did not further increase the response. There was a trend for a dose effect in the immune response. Conclusions The safety and reactogenicity profile, as well as the humoral and cellular immune responses, encourage further evaluation of OVX836 in a larger Phase 2a study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanchanamala Withanage
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VaxInfectio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Ilse De Coster
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VaxInfectio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Cools
- Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VaxInfectio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Simonetta Viviani
- Independent Scientific Advisor on Vaccines, Epidemiology and Public Health, Via Gramsci, I-Monteriggioni, Siena, Italy. Acting as Chief Medical Officer for Osivax at the time of the clinical study
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Pierre Van Damme
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (VaxInfectio), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein, Antwerpen, Belgium
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Del Campo J, Bouley J, Chevandier M, Rousset C, Haller M, Indalecio A, Guyon-Gellin D, Le Vert A, Hill F, Djebali S, Leverrier Y, Marvel J, Combadière B, Nicolas F. OVX836 Heptameric Nucleoprotein Vaccine Generates Lung Tissue-Resident Memory CD8+ T-Cells for Cross-Protection Against Influenza. Front Immunol 2021; 12:678483. [PMID: 34177921 PMCID: PMC8223747 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.678483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue-resident memory (TRM) CD8+ T-cells play a crucial role in the protection against influenza infection but remain difficult to elicit using recombinant protein vaccines. OVX836 is a recombinant protein vaccine, obtained by the fusion of the DNA sequence of the influenza A nucleoprotein (NP) to the DNA sequence of the OVX313 heptamerization domain. We previously demonstrated that OVX836 provides broad-spectrum protection against influenza viruses. Here, we show that OVX836 intramuscular (IM) immunization induces higher numbers of NP-specific IFNγ-producing CD8+ T-cells in the lung, compared to mutant NP (NPm) and wild-type NP (NPwt), which form monomeric and trimeric structures, respectively. OVX836 induces cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells and high frequencies of lung TRM CD8+ T-cells, while inducing solid protection against lethal influenza virus challenges for at least 90 days. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that protection against diverse influenza subtypes is mediated by NP-specific CD8+ T-cells isolated from the lung and spleen following OVX836 vaccination. OVX836 induces a high number of NP-specific lung CD8+ TRM-cells for long-term protection against influenza viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julien Bouley
- Research and Development Department, Osivax, Lyon, France
| | | | - Carine Rousset
- Research and Development Department, Osivax, Lyon, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Fergal Hill
- Research and Development Department, Osivax, Lyon, France
| | - Sophia Djebali
- Immunity and Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Team, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Yann Leverrier
- Immunity and Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Team, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jacqueline Marvel
- Immunity and Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Team, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Béhazine Combadière
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (Cimi-Paris), Paris, France
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Del Campo J, Pizzorno A, Djebali S, Bouley J, Haller M, Pérez-Vargas J, Lina B, Boivin G, Hamelin ME, Nicolas F, Le Vert A, Leverrier Y, Rosa-Calatrava M, Marvel J, Hill F. OVX836 a recombinant nucleoprotein vaccine inducing cellular responses and protective efficacy against multiple influenza A subtypes. NPJ Vaccines 2019; 4:4. [PMID: 30701093 PMCID: PMC6344521 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-019-0098-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) lack broad efficacy. Cellular immunity to a conserved internal antigen, the nucleoprotein (NP), has been correlated to protection against pandemic and seasonal influenza and thus could have the potential to broaden vaccine efficacy. We developed OVX836, a recombinant protein vaccine based on an oligomerized NP, which shows increased uptake by dendritic cells and immunogenicity compared with NP. Intramuscular immunization in mice with OVX836 induced strong NP-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell systemic responses and established CD8+ tissue memory T cells in the lung parenchyma. Strikingly, OVX836 protected mice against viral challenge with three different influenza A subtypes, isolated several decades apart and induced a reduction in viral load. When co-administered with IIV, OVX836 was even more effective in reducing lung viral load. Circulating influenza A virus (IAV) strains differ in their surface proteins each year, and vaccines eliciting an immune response to these proteins are often only partially protective. Internal viral proteins, such as the nucleoprotein (NP), are highly conserved, and cellular immunity to NP has been correlated with protection from diverse strains. However, current IAV vaccines induce a poor immune response to NP. In this study, led by Fergal Hill from Osivax, researchers develop an oligomeric version of NP with improved immunogenicity. Vaccination of mice with oligomeric NP results in an improved NP-specific T-cell response, including CD8+ tissue memory T cells in the lung, and protects mice against three different IAV subtypes. Co-administration with the currently used inactivated influenza vaccine further improves protection against virus infection in mice. These results encourage further pre-clinical and clinical development for this vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andres Pizzorno
- 2Virologie et Pathologie Humaine - VirPath Team, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. Université de Lyon, Lyon, F- 69008 France
| | - Sophia Djebali
- 3Immunity and Cytotoxic Lymphocytes, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon. Université de Lyon, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | | | | | - Jimena Pérez-Vargas
- Osivax, 99, rue de Gerland, 69007 Lyon, France.,6Present Address: Enveloped Viruses, Vectors and Immunotherapy Team, Centre International de Recherché en Infectiologie (CIRI), INSERM U1111, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Bruno Lina
- 2Virologie et Pathologie Humaine - VirPath Team, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. Université de Lyon, Lyon, F- 69008 France.,Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre National de Référence des Virus Influenza France Sud, Laboratoire de Virologie, Groupement Hospitalier Nord, Lyon, France
| | - Guy Boivin
- 5Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec and Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Eve Hamelin
- 5Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec and Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | | | | | - Yann Leverrier
- 3Immunity and Cytotoxic Lymphocytes, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon. Université de Lyon, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Manuel Rosa-Calatrava
- 2Virologie et Pathologie Humaine - VirPath Team, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM U1111, CNRS UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. Université de Lyon, Lyon, F- 69008 France
| | - Jacqueline Marvel
- 3Immunity and Cytotoxic Lymphocytes, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, INSERM, U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon. Université de Lyon, F-69007 Lyon, France
| | - Fergal Hill
- Osivax, 99, rue de Gerland, 69007 Lyon, France
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