Bivalent inactivated hepatitis A and recombinant hepatitis B vaccine

Abstract

Hepatitis A and B remain serious global public health problems. Monovalent vaccines against hepatitis A and B have been available for many years. Since 1996, licenses have been gradually introduced for different formulations and immunization schedules of the first combined vaccines against both diseases. Twinrix™ Adult (with conventional and accelerated schedules) is available for the immunization of individuals aged 16 years or older in Europe and 18 years or older the USA. Twinrix Pediatric, with its three-dose schedule, and AmBirix™, with its two-dose schedule, are licensed in Europe for ages 1–15 years. These vaccines offer a single injection for satisfactory protection against hepatitis A and B and an excellent safety and reactogenicity profile in comparison with monovalent vaccines. This article focuses on immunogenicity of the vaccines and proposes expert opinion and future directions in this field.

Keywords::

• AmBirix™
• combined vaccine
• hepatitis A
• hepatitis B
• immunization
• immunogenicity
• reactogenicity
• safety
• seroprotection
• Twinrix™ Adult
• Twinrix™ Pediatric

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Preparation of the manuscript was partially supported by research grant from the University Hospital Hradec Králové, Czech Republic MZO 00179906. 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.

Writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript. Assistance was provided by Janice Beck and Veronique Delpire with the support of GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.

Notes

Adapted from [17,102].