Heterologous cAd3-Ebola and MVA-EbolaZ vaccines are safe and immunogenic in US and Uganda phase 1/1b trials

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a filoviral infection caused by virus species of the Ebolavirus genus including Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) and Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV). We investigated the safety and immunogenicity of a heterologous prime-boost regimen involving a chimpanzee adenovirus 3 vectored Ebola vaccine [either monovalent (cAd3-EBOZ) or bivalent (cAd3-EBO)] prime followed by a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara EBOV vaccine (MVA-EbolaZ) boost in two phase 1/1b randomized open-label clinical trials in healthy adults in the United States (US) and Uganda (UG). Trial US (NCT02408913) enrolled 140 participants, including 26 EVD vaccine-naïve and 114 cAd3-Ebola-experienced participants (April-November 2015). Trial UG (NCT02354404) enrolled 90 participants, including 60 EVD vaccine-naïve and 30 DNA Ebola vaccine-experienced participants (February-April 2015). All tested vaccines and regimens were safe and well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported related to study products. Solicited local and systemic reactogenicity was mostly mild to moderate in severity. The heterologous prime-boost regimen was immunogenic, including induction of durable antibody responses which peaked as early as two weeks and persisted up to one year after each vaccination. Different prime-boost intervals impacted the magnitude of humoral and cellular immune responses. The results from these studies demonstrate promising implications for use of these vaccines in both prophylactic and outbreak settings.

Safety and immunogenicity of a trivalent virus-like particle vaccine against western, eastern, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses: a phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation, randomised clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Western (WEEV), eastern (EEEV), and Venezuelan (VEEV) equine encephalitis viruses are mosquito-borne pathogens classified as potential biological warfare agents for which there are currently no approved human vaccines or therapies. We aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an investigational trivalent virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine, western, eastern, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis (WEVEE) VLP, composed of WEEV, EEEV, and VEEV VLPs.

METHODS

The WEVEE VLP vaccine was evaluated in a phase 1, randomised, open-label, dose-escalation trial at the Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Eligible participants were healthy adults aged 18-50 years with no previous vaccination history with an investigational alphavirus vaccine. Participants were assigned to a dose group of 6 μg, 30 μg, or 60 μg vaccine product and were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive the WEVEE VLP vaccine with or without aluminium hydroxide suspension (alum) adjuvant by intramuscular injection at study day 0 and at week 8. The primary outcomes were the safety and tolerability of the vaccine (assessed in all participants who received at least one administration of study product) and the secondary outcome was immune response measured as neutralising titres by plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT) 4 weeks after the second vaccination. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03879603.

FINDINGS

Between April 2, 2019, and June 13, 2019, 30 trial participants were enrolled (mean age 32 years, range 21-48; 16 [53%] female participants and 14 [47%] male participants). Six groups of five participants each received 6 μg, 30 μg, or 60 μg vaccine doses with or without adjuvant, and all 30 participants completed study follow-up. Vaccinations were safe and well tolerated. The most frequently reported symptoms were mild injection-site pain and tenderness (22 [73%] of 30) and malaise (15 [50%] of 30). Dose-dependent differences in the frequency of pain and tenderness were found between the 6 μg, 30 μg, and 60 μg groups (p=0·0217). No significant differences were observed between dosing groups for any other reactogenicity symptom. Two adverse events (mild elevated blood pressure and moderate asymptomatic neutropenia) were assessed as possibly related to the study product in one trial participant (60 μg dose with alum); both resolved without clinical sequelae. 4 weeks after second vaccine administration, neutralising antibodies were induced in all study groups with the highest response seen against all three vaccine antigens in the 30 μg plus alum group (PRNT₈₀ geometric mean titre for EEEV 60·8, 95% CI 29·9-124·0; for VEEV 111·5, 49·8-249·8; and for WEEV 187·9, 90·0-392·2). Finally, 4 weeks after second vaccine administration, for all doses, the majority of trial participants developed an immune response to all three vaccine components (24 [83%] of 29 for EEEV; 26 [90%] of 29 for VEEV; 27 [93%] of 29 for WEEV; and 22 [76%] of 29 for EEEV, VEEV, and WEEV combined).

INTERPRETATION

The favourable safety profile and neutralising antibody responses, along with pressing public health need, support further evaluation of the WEVEE VLP vaccine in advanced-phase clinical trials.

FUNDING

The Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health funded the clinical trial. The US Department of Defense contributed funding for manufacturing of the study product.

Safety and tolerability of AAV8 delivery of a broadly neutralizing antibody in adults living with HIV: a phase 1, dose-escalation trial

Adeno-associated viral vector-mediated transfer of DNA coding for broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies (bnAbs) offers an alternative to attempting to induce protection by vaccination or by repeated infusions of bnAbs. In this study, we administered a recombinant bicistronic adeno-associated virus (AAV8) vector coding for both the light and heavy chains of the potent broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibody VRC07 (AAV8-VRC07) to eight adults living with HIV. All participants remained on effective anti-retroviral therapy (viral load (VL) <50 copies per milliliter) throughout this phase 1, dose-escalation clinical trial ( NCT03374202 ). AAV8-VRC07 was given at doses of 5 × 1010, 5 × 1011 and 2.5 × 1012 vector genomes per kilogram by intramuscular (IM) injection. Primary endpoints of this study were to assess the safety and tolerability of AAV8-VRC07; to determine the pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of in vivo VRC07 production; and to describe the immune response directed against AAV8-VRC07 vector and its products. Secondary endpoints were to assess the clinical effects of AAV8-VRC07 on CD4 T cell count and VL and to assess the persistence of VRC07 produced in participants. In this cohort, IM injection of AAV8-VRC07 was safe and well tolerated. No clinically significant change in CD4 T cell count or VL occurred during the 1-3 years of follow-up reported here. In participants who received AAV8-VRC07, concentrations of VRC07 were increased 6 weeks (P = 0.008) and 52 weeks (P = 0.016) after IM injection of the product. All eight individuals produced measurable amounts of serum VRC07, with maximal VRC07 concentrations >1 µg ml-1 in three individuals. In four individuals, VRC07 serum concentrations remained stable near maximal concentration for up to 3 years of follow-up. In exploratory analyses, neutralizing activity of in vivo produced VRC07 was similar to that of in vitro produced VRC07. Three of eight participants showed a non-idiotypic anti-drug antibody (ADA) response directed against the Fab portion of VRC07. This ADA response appeared to decrease the production of serum VRC07 in two of these three participants. These data represent a proof of concept that adeno-associated viral vectors can durably produce biologically active, difficult-to-induce bnAbs in vivo, which could add valuable new tools to the fight against infectious diseases.

Effect of a Chikungunya Virus-Like Particle Vaccine on Safety and Tolerability Outcomes: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne Alphavirus prevalent worldwide. There are currently no licensed vaccines or therapies.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety and tolerability of an investigational CHIKV virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine in endemic regions.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 2 clinical trial to assess the vaccine VRC-CHKVLP059-00-VP (CHIKV VLP). The trial was conducted at 6 outpatient clinical research sites located in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Puerto Rico. A total of 400 healthy adults aged 18 through 60 years were enrolled after meeting eligibility criteria. The first study enrollment occurred on November 18, 2015; the final study visit, March 6, 2018.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive 2 intramuscular injections 28 days apart (20 µg, n = 201) or placebo (n = 199) and were followed up for 72 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the safety (laboratory parameters, adverse events, and CHIKV infection) and tolerability (local and systemic reactogenicity) of the vaccine, and the secondary outcome was immune response by neutralization assay 4 weeks after second vaccination.

RESULTS

Of the 400 randomized participants (mean age, 35 years; 199 [50%] women), 393 (98%) completed the primary safety analysis. All injections were well tolerated. Of the 16 serious adverse events unrelated to the study drugs, 4 (25%) occurred among 4 patients in the vaccine group and 12 (75%) occurred among 11 patients in the placebo group. Of the 16 mild to moderate unsolicited adverse events that were potentially related to the drug, 12 (75%) occurred among 8 patients in the vaccine group and 4 (25%) occurred among 3 patients in the placebo group. All potentially related adverse events resolved without clinical sequelae. At baseline, there was no significant difference between the effective concentration (EC50)-which is the dilution of sera that inhibits 50% infection in viral neutralization assay-geometric mean titers (GMTs) of neutralizing antibodies of the vaccine group (46; 95% CI, 34-63) and the placebo group (43; 95% CI, 32-57). Eight weeks following the first administration, the EC50 GMT in the vaccine group was 2005 (95% CI, 1680-2392) vs 43 (95% CI, 32-58; P < .001) in the placebo group. Durability of the immune response was demonstrated through 72 weeks after vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among healthy adults in a chikungunya endemic population, a virus-like particle vaccine compared with placebo demonstrated safety and tolerability. Phase 3 trials are needed to assess clinical efficacy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02562482.

Safety and pharmacokinetics of broadly neutralising human monoclonal antibody VRC07-523LS in healthy adults: a phase 1 dose-escalation clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Human monoclonal antibodies that potently and broadly neutralise HIV-1 are under development to prevent and treat HIV-1 infection. In this phase 1 clinical trial we aimed to determine the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile of the broadly neutralising monoclonal antibody VRC07-523LS, an engineered variant of VRC01 that targets the CD4 binding site of the HIV-1 envelope protein.

METHODS

This phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial was done at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, USA. Individuals were recruited from the greater Washington, DC, area by IRB-approved written and electronic media. We enrolled healthy, HIV-1-negative adults aged 18-50 years. Inclusion criteria were good general health, measured through clinical laboratory tests, medical history, and physical examination. Participants self-selected into one of seven open groups during enrolment without randomisation. Four groups received a single intravenous dose of 1, 5, 20, or 40 mg/kg of VRC07-523LS, and one group received a single 5 mg/kg subcutaneous dose. Two groups received three doses of either 20 mg/kg intravenous VRC07-523LS, or 5 mg/kg subcutaneous VRC07-523LS at 12-week intervals. The primary outcome was the safety and tolerability of VRC07-523LS, assessed by dose, route, and number of administrations. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03015181.

FINDINGS

Between Feb 21, 2017, and September 13, 2017, we enrolled 26 participants, including 11 (42%) men and 15 (58%) women. Two (8%) participants withdrew from the study early: one participant in group 1 enrolled in the study but never received VRC07-523LS, and one participant in group 6 chose to withdraw after a single administration. One (4%) participant in group 7 received only one of the three scheduled administrations. 17 participants received intravenous administrations and 8 participants received subcutaneous administrations. VRC07-523LS was safe and well tolerated, we observed no serious adverse events or dose-limiting toxic effects. All reported local and systemic reactogenicity was mild to moderate in severity. The most commonly reported symptoms following intravenous administration were malaise or myalgia in three (18%) participants and headache or chills in two (12%) participants. The most commonly reported symptoms following subcutaneous administration were pain and tenderness in four participants (50%) and malaise or headache in three (38%) participants.

INTERPRETATION

Safe and well tolerated, VRC07-523LS is a strong and practical candidate for inclusion in HIV-1 prevention and therapeutic strategies. The results from this trial also indicate that an HIV-1 broadly neutralising monoclonal antibody engineered for improved pharmacokinetic and neutralisation properties can be safe for clinical use.

FUNDING

National Institutes of Health.

Delineation of a transplanted malignant melanoma with indium-111-labeled porphyrin

An indium complex of a cationic, water-soluble, synthetic porphyrin, tetra-4-N-methylpyridyl porphyrin tosylate, has been prepared and evaluated for its selective localization in tumors in Syrian Golden hamsters with flank transplanted malignant melanoma (Fortner MMI). Tumor-to-blood ratios of the compound increase from 42:1 at 6 hr postinjection, at which time activity levels in the tumor exceed those in all other tissues, to 162.1 at 72 hr. Images in one hamster at three time periods clearly delineated the tumor from nontarget background and also demarcated the viable and necrotic zones within the tumor itself.