Quadrivalent meningococcal ACYW-135 glycoconjugate vaccine for broader protection from infancy

Abstract

Invasive meningococcal disease is a global public-health concern, with infants and adolescents bearing the majority of the disease burden. Vaccination is the most rational strategy to prevent meningococcal disease. Control of serogroup C disease has largely been achieved by the introduction of glycoconjugate meningococcal C vaccines, initially in the UK in 1999, and subsequently in several other countries. The recent licensure of a quadrivalent glycoconjugate vaccine against serogroups A, C, Y and W-135 in the USA and Canada has broadened protection against Neisseria meningitidis in 2–55 year olds. The investigational quadrivalent meningococcal serogroup A, C, Y and W-135 glycoconjugate vaccine (MenACYW–CRM197), which is immunogenic from infancy, has the potential to extend protection to the most vulnerable age group. This article discusses this novel quadrivalent vaccine formulation and its potential to control invasive disease caused by N. meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135.

Keywords::

• glycoconjugate meningococcal vaccine
• infants
• Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135
• vaccine immunology

Financial & competing interests disclosure

David Pace has received travel grants from GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals and from Wyeth to attend scientific meetings. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

Data from [3,49].