Persistence of Meningococcal Antibodies and Response to a Third Dose After a Two-dose Vaccination Series with Investigational MenABCWY Vaccine Formulations in Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: In a primary study, healthy adolescents received 2 doses (months 0/2) of 1 of the 4 investigational meningococcal ABCWY vaccine formulations, containing components of licensed quadrivalent glycoconjugate vaccine MenACWY-CRM, combined with different amounts of recombinant proteins (rMenB) and outer membrane vesicles (OMV) from a licensed serogroup B vaccine, or 2 doses of rMenB alone or 1 dose of MenACWY-CRM then a placebo.

METHODS: This phase 2 extension study evaluated antibody persistence up to 10 months after the 2-dose series and the immunogenicity and safety of a third dose (month 6). Immune responses against serogroups ACWY and serogroup B test strains were measured by serum bactericidal assay with human complement.

RESULTS: At month 12, antibody persistence against serogroups ACWY in all 2-dose MenABCWY groups was at least comparable with the 1-dose MenACWY-CRM group. Bactericidal antibodies against most serogroup B test strains declined by month 6, then plateaued over the subsequent 6 months, with overall higher antibody persistence associated with OMV-containing formulations. A third MenABCWY vaccine dose induced robust immune responses against vaccine antigens, although antibody levels 6 months later were comparable with those observed 5 months after the 2-dose series. All investigational MenABCWY vaccines were well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS: Two or three doses of investigational MenABCWY vaccines elicited immune responses against serogroups ACWY that were at least comparable with those after 1 dose of MenACWY-CRM. After either vaccination series, investigational MenABCWY vaccine formulations containing OMV had the highest immunogenicity against most serogroup B test strains. No safety concerns were identified in this study.