Emmanuel Aris

Immunogenicity and Safety of an Investigational Combined haemophilus influenzae Type B- neisseria meningitidis Serogroups C and Y-tetanus Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine

Background: Neisseria meningitidis serogroups B, C, and Y cause most meningococcal disease in industrialized countries. A Haemophilus influenzae type b-meningococcal serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY-TT) was evaluated. Methods: A total of 1104 infants (randomized 3:1:1) were vaccinated at 2, 4, and 6 months with HibMenCY-TT, MenC-CRM197 + Hib-TT, or Hib-TT. At 12 to 15 months, HibMenCY-TT and MenC-CRM-primed children received HibMenCY-TT; Hib-TT-primed received N. meningitidis serogroup B Hib-outer membrane protein complex. Antibody concentrations and rabbit/human complement serum bactericidal antibody titers (rSBA/hSBA) were determined. Safety was monitored after each dose (diary cards for first 31 days) until 6 months postdose 4. Results: Postdose 3, rates of antipolyribosylribitol phosphate ≥1 &mgr;g/mL and rSBA-MenC ≥1:128 in HibMenCY-TT recipients were noninferior to licensed controls. Percentages reaching 0.15 &mgr;g/mL (1.0 &mgr;g/mL postdose 3) and antipolyribosylribitol phosphate GMC were significantly higher after HibMenCY-TT than Hib-TT postdose 2 and postdose 3. The GMC remained significantly higher before and after dose 4. Proportions of HibMenCY-TT recipients with rSBA ≥1:8 were 95.6% (MenC), 98.6% (MenY) postdose-2, ≥99% for MenC/Y postdose 3 and 4; hSBA ≥1:4 were 95.5% (MenC), 89.8% (MenY) postdose 2, >97% for MenC/Y postdose 3 and 4. HibMenCY-TT had a similar safety profile to control vaccines. Conclusions: HibMenCY-TT induced noninferior Hib and MenC responses compared with monovalent Hib and MenC conjugates with a comparable safety profile. Bactericidal antibodies against MenC/Y were induced after 2 doses of HibMenCY-TT.

Immunogenicity and Safety of H influenzae Type b–N meningitidis C/Y Conjugate Vaccine in Infants

BACKGROUND: Meningococcal disease incidence is highest in children younger than 2 years of age, yet there is no US-licensed vaccine for this age group. A phase III study evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of an investigational Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)–Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 4180 infants were randomly assigned to receive the HibMenCY at the ages of 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months or the licensed Hib tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (ActHIB) at 2, 4, and 6 months and Hib conjugated to N meningitidis outer membrane protein (PedvaxHIB) at 12 to 15 months. Routinely scheduled vaccines were coadministered. Serum bactericidal activity using human complement and anti–polyribosylribitol phosphate antibodies were assessed in 991 subjects. Local and systemic adverse reactions were recorded for 4 days after each dose. RESULTS: The percentage of HibMenCY recipients with serum bactericidal assay using human complement titers of 1:8 or higher after dose 3 was 98.8% for N meningitidis serogroup C (MenC) and 95.8% for N meningitidis serogroup Y (MenY). After dose 4, the percentages were 98.5% and 98.8%, respectively. The percentage of HibMenCY recipients with postdose 3 anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate antibody levels of ≥1.0 μg/mL was noninferior to that of control (96.3% vs 91.2%). After dose 4, MenC and MenY serum bactericidal assay using human complement antibody titers increased 12-fold over pre–dose 4 levels. Incidence of pain, redness, and swelling at the HibMenCY injection sites tended to be lower than with Hib type b after the first 3 doses and after the fourth dose. Rates of systemic symptoms were similar across groups. CONCLUSIONS: The HibMenCY was immunogenic against MenC and MenY and induced anti–polyribosylribitol phosphate antibody levels noninferior to those of licensed Hib conjugate vaccine. The safety profile of the HibMenCY was clinically acceptable and comparable to Hib conjugate vaccine.

Randomized trial to assess immunogenicity and safety of Haemophilus influenzae type b and Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine in infants.

Background: Study assessed the immunogenicity and safety of an investigational Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y–tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY-TT) in infants. Methods: In a single-blinded, controlled study, 609 infants were randomized 1:1 to receive primary vaccination (2, 4, and 6 months) with either HibMenCY-TT or monovalent Haemophilus influenzae type b tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (Hib-TT), co-administered with combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-hepatitis B-inactivated poliovirus vaccine and 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. A second control group of 3- to 5-year-old children received a single dose of licensed meningococcal ACWY polysaccharide vaccine (MPSV4). Immunogenicity was measured before and 1 month after dose 3/MPSV4 using human (hSBA) and rabbit complement bactericidal assays (rSBA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assays for IgG antibodies to MenC and MenY polysaccharides. Anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate antibody concentrations were measured 1 month after the third dose. Safety was also assessed. Results: One month after primary vaccination statistically significantly more HibMenCY-TT than Hib-TT vaccines had anti-PRP antibody concentrations ≥1.0 μg/mL (93.5% vs. 85.8%). The percentage of HibMenCY-TT recipients with hSBA titers ≥1:8 (MenC: 95.9%, MenY: 89.4%) was statistically significantly higher than for MPSV4 recipients (MenC: 30.2%, MenY: 47.5%). The percentage of subjects reporting any severe (grade 3) symptom within 4 days of each vaccination was: 11.5% (HibMenCY-TT) and 24.8% (Hib-TT) (group difference, 13.27%, 95% CI: [7.22;19.29], P < 0.001). Conclusion: The investigational HibMenCY-TT vaccine was well tolerated and immunogenic in infants, induced Hib immune responses that were comparable to licensed Hib-TT vaccine, and induced high levels of bactericidal antibodies against N. meningitidis serogroups C and Y.

Immune response and one-year antibody persistence after a fourth dose of a novel Haemophilus influenzae type b and Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY) at 12 to 15 months of age.

A total of 236 infants received a fourth Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY) dose at 12 to 15 months. One month later, the proportion with anti–PRP antibody ≥1.0 &mgr;g/mL and bactericidal titers ≥1:8 to MenC and MenY was 98.9%, 96.9%, and 95.4%, respectively. One year later, anti-PRP concentrations ≥0.15 &mgr;g/mL, and MenC and MenY bactericidal titers ≥1:8 persisted in 100%, 96.6%, and 83.8%, respectively. The safety profile of HibMenCY was comparable to Hib.

A prospective, observational cohort study of the seasonal dynamics of airway pathogens in the aetiology of exacerbations in COPD

Background The aetiology of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) is incompletely understood. Understanding the relationship between chronic bacterial airway infection and viral exposure may explain the incidence and seasonality of these events. Methods In this prospective, observational cohort study (NCT01360398), patients with COPD aged 40–85 years underwent sputum sampling monthly and at exacerbation for detection of bacteria and viruses. Results are presented for subjects in the full cohort, followed for 1 year. Interactions between exacerbation occurrence and pathogens were investigated by generalised estimating equation and stratified conditional logistic regression analyses. Findings The mean exacerbation rate per patient-year was 3.04 (95% CI 2.63 to 3.50). At AECOPD, the most common bacterial species were non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella catarrhalis, and the most common virus was rhinovirus. Logistic regression analyses (culture bacterial detection) showed significant OR for AECOPD occurrence when M. catarrhalis was detected regardless of season (5.09 (95% CI 2.76 to 9.41)). When NTHi was detected, the increased risk of exacerbation was greater in high season (October–March, OR 3.04 (1.80 to 5.13)) than low season (OR 1.22 (0.68 to 2.22)). Bacterial and viral coinfection was more frequent at exacerbation (24.9%) than stable state (8.6%). A significant interaction was detected between NTHi and rhinovirus presence and AECOPD risk (OR 5.18 (1.92 to 13.99); p=0.031). Conclusions AECOPD aetiology varies with season. Rises in incidence in winter may be driven by increased pathogen presence as well as an interaction between NTHi airway infection and effects of viral infection. Trial registration number Results, NCT01360398.

Co-administration of a novel Haemophilus influenzae type b and Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine does not interfere with the immune response to antigens contained in infant vaccines routinely used in the United States.

An investigational combined Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY-TT) has been developed to protect infants from invasive disease caused by Hib and these meningococcal serogroups without adding injections to the immunization schedule. Incorporation of this novel vaccine into the US vaccination schedule will require demonstration of a lack of immunologic interference with other routine pediatric vaccines. This study assessed the immune response to 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) and combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-hepatitis B-inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTaP-HepB-IPV) when separately co-administered with HibMenCY-TT as compared to a US-licensed H. influenzae type b tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (Hib-TT) at 2, 4, 6 (N=606) and 12–15 months of age (N=366). HibMenCY-TT was non-inferior to Hib-TT in terms of antibody responses to all Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes contained in PCV7 and the diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and poliovirus antigens contained in DTaP-HepB-IPV one month after the third vaccine dose, and the anti-tetanus geometric mean antibody concentration (GMC) was significantly higher in the HibMenCY-TT group than in the Hib-TT group. In an exploratory analysis, no significant differences in the proportion of subjects with anti-pneumococcal antibody concentrations ≥0.2 µg/ml or anti-pneumococcal GMC were seen between the two groups after the fourth vaccine dose. A schedule of HibMenCY-TT given concomitantly with PCV7 and DTaP-HepB-IPV would be expected to protect infants against all of the targeted diseases.

Impact and associations of eosinophilic inflammation in COPD: analysis of the AERIS cohort

Eosinophilic inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) predicts response to treatment, especially corticosteroids. We studied the nature of eosinophilic inflammation in COPD prospectively to examine the stability of this phenotype and its dynamics across exacerbations, and its associations with clinical phenotype, exacerbations and infection. 127 patients aged 40–85 years with moderate to very severe COPD underwent repeated blood and sputum sampling at stable visits and within 72 h of exacerbation for 1 year. Blood eosinophils ≥2% was prevalent at baseline, and predicted both predominantly raised stable-state eosinophils across the year (area under the curve 0.841, 95% CI 0.755–0.928) and increased risk of eosinophilic inflammation at exacerbation (OR 9.16; p<0.001). Eosinophils ≥2% at exacerbation and eosinophil predominance at stable visits were associated with a lower risk of bacterial presence at exacerbation (OR 0.49; p=0.049 and OR 0.25; p=0.065, respectively). Bacterial infection at exacerbation was highly seasonal (winter versus summer OR 4.74; p=0.011) in predominantly eosinophilic patients. Eosinophilic inflammation is a common and stable phenotype in COPD. Blood eosinophil counts in the stable state can predict the nature of inflammation at future exacerbations, which when combined with an understanding of seasonal variation provides the basis for the development of new treatment paradigms for this important condition. Blood eosinophil levels in COPD predict the nature of inflammation at future exacerbations and may guide therapy http://ow.ly/W10o30dNQiq

The safety profile of Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY).

The safety profile of HibMenCY was compared with licensed Hib conjugate vaccines in a pooled analysis that included more than 8,500 subjects who were administered a four-dose series of HibMenCY or commercially available Hib vaccines at 2, 4, 6 and 12–15 mo of age in two primary vaccination and two fourth dose phase 3 studies. In all studies, HibMenCY or Hib vaccine was co-administered with age-appropriate, routinely recommended vaccines. In one primary and one fourth dose study (n = 4180), local and general symptoms were solicited using diary cards for 4 d after each dose. Serious adverse events (SAEs) and the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) indicating new onset of chronic disease (NOCD), rash, and conditions prompting Emergency Room (ER) visits were reported from dose 1 until 6 mo after dose 4. The incidences of solicited local and general symptoms were similar following HibMenCY and commercially available Hib vaccines. For some solicited symptoms (pain at the injection site and irritability), rates were lower in the HibMenCY group compared with the Hib control group (p value < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in the incidences of SAEs, NOCDs, rash, or AEs leading to ER visits, with the exceptions of anemia and viral gastroenteritis, which occurred significantly less frequently in those receiving HibMenCY than those receiving commercially available Hib vaccines. In this pooled safety analysis, the safety profile of HibMenCY was similar to the safety profile of licensed monovalent Hib vaccines, despite the addition of meningococcal antigens. These studies are registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00345579 (primary vaccination study), NCT00345683 (fourth dose vaccination study) and NCT00289783 (primary and fourth dose vaccination studies)

Antibody persistence for up to 5 years after a fourth dose of Haemophilus influenzae type b and Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY-TT) given at 12-15 months of age.

Background: A 4-dose series of recently licensed Haemophilus influenzae type b–meningococcal serogroups C and Y-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine (HibMenCY-TT) was immunogenic with a clinically acceptable safety profile in infants, with antibodies persisting in most participants for 1 year following dose 4. This study assessed antibody persistence up to 5 years after vaccination. Methods: Participants had received HibMenCY-TT or Hib-TT at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. At age 12–15 months, HibMenCY-TT vaccinees received a fourth HibMenCY-TT dose (HibMenCY x 4 group), whereas those who received Hib-TT received a fourth dose of either Hib-TT (Hib) or HibMenCY-TT (HibMenCY x 1). Blood samples were collected 1 month and 1, 3 and 5 years after the last dose for measurement of antipolyribosylribitol phosphate (the Hib capsular polysaccharide) antibodies and serum bactericidal activity (human complement source) against meningococcal serogroups C and Y. Results: Five years after the fourth dose, the percentages of children with antipolyribosylribitol phosphate ≥0.15 &mgr;g/mL in HibMenCY x 4, HibMenCY x 1 and Hib groups were 98.8% (95% confidence interval: 93.5%–100%), 97.3% (85.8%–99.9%) and 92.3% (79.1%–98.4%), respectively. The percentages with human complement serum bactericidal activity ≥1:8 for meningococcal serogroup C were 82.9% (72.5%–90.6%), 73.5% (55.6%–87.1%) and 21.1% (9.6%–37.3%), respectively. The percentages with human complement serum bactericidal activity ≥1:8 for serogroup Y were 69.5% (58.4%–79.2%), 54.3% (36.6%–71.2%) and 18.4% (7.7%–34.3%), respectively. Conclusions: HibMenCY-TT given as a 4-dose series or as a single dose at 12–15 months of age induced immune responses for all 3 antigens that lasted for up to 5 years after vaccination in more than half of recipients.

Acute Exacerbation and Respiratory InfectionS in COPD (AERIS): protocol for a prospective, observational cohort study

Introduction The aetiology of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains incompletely understood and strategies for treatment and prevention have not altered significantly for many years. Improved understanding of the role of respiratory pathogens in acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) is required and the use of molecular microbiological techniques may lead to insights into host–pathogen interactions and the development of more targeted therapeutic approaches. Methods and analyses Acute Exacerbation and Respiratory InfectionS in COPD (AERIS) is a longitudinal epidemiological study to assess how changes in the COPD airway microbiome contribute to the incidence and severity of AECOPD. Patients with COPD aged 40–85 are followed monthly for 2 years, and reviewed within 72 h of onset of symptoms of AECOPD. Exacerbations are detected using daily electronic diary cards. Blood, sputum, nasopharyngeal and urine samples are collected at prespecified timepoints. Molecular diagnostic and typing techniques are used to describe the dynamics of airway infection during AECOPD and stable disease, and associations with clinical outcome. This study aims to refine the case definition of AECOPD to reflect the possible microbiological aetiology. AERIS will assess the impact of AECOPD on health-related quality of life and healthcare resource utilisation, and the possible interactions between nutritional status, infection and immune responses. Ethics and dissemination AERIS is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice, and has been approved by the institutional ethics and review board. All participants must provide written informed consent. The results obtained will be disseminated at international medical conferences and in peer-reviewed publications. Discussion Few other studies have addressed the complexity of the microbiological and systemic components of COPD or employed real-time electronic tracking of symptoms to identify AECOPD and potential aetiological triggers. Results Results of AERIS will increase our understanding of the contribution of pathogens to AECOPD, potentially leading to new targeted therapeutic and preventative interventions. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01360398.