Guangwei Feng

Pertussis remains a leading cause of infant mortality globally, with rising cases in China post-COVID-19. Despite vaccination, waning immunity from acellular pertussis vaccines has driven resurgence. We evaluated a novel diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (acellular, three components) combined vaccine, adsorbed (DTcP), China's first genetically engineered three-component pertussis vaccine, administered under two primary schedules (2/3/4 vs. 2/4/6 months) compared to licensed DTaP-IPV-Hib (Pentaxim). In this randomized, blinded, phase III clinical trial, 1380 healthy 2-month-old infants from Henan, China, received DTcP-1 (2/3/4 months) or DTcP-2 (2/4/6 months) or DTaP-IPV-Hib (2/3/4 months). The primary safety endpoints were the incidence of adverse reactions within 0∼30 days after primary vaccination. The primary immunogenicity endpoints were to evaluate the non-inferiority and superiority of seroconversion rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of anti-pertussis toxoid (PT), filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), pertactin (PRN), diphtheria toxoid (DT), tetanus toxoid (TT), antibodies 30 days after primary vaccination. Immunogenicity was assessed via Luminex-based multiplex immunoassay. Both DTcP-1 and DTcP-2 schedules demonstrated non-inferior safety to DTaP-IPV-Hib (total adverse reactions: 14.52/16.59% vs. 16.91%, P = 0.183), with DTcP-2 (2/4/6 months) showing lower swelling (2.59% vs. 4.83%, P = 0.008) and irritability (0.07% vs. 1.02/1.40%, P < 0.001). DTcP-2 elicited higher GMCs against pertussis antigens (PT: 84.23 vs. 65.35; FHA: 132.16 vs. 102.13, both P < 0.001) and comparable DT/TT responses. DTcP exhibited favorable safety and superior pertussis immunogenicity, particularly with the 2/4/6-month schedule. Its genetically engineered three-component design offers a promising strategy to combat pertussis amid global resurgence.

Objectives: This study systematically assessed the safety and immunogenicity of a new 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (CRM197/TT, PCV13i) against the licensed PCV13 vaccine in a cohort of Chinese children between 12 and 23 months of age. Methods: This is a phase III, randomized, double-blind trial (NCT04841369). A total of 528 participants were randomized 1:1 to receive two doses of either PCV13i experimental or the PCV13 control vaccine at a 2-month interval, with 517 participants completing the vaccinations. Results: The overall incidence of adverse events (37.12% vs. 32.70%, p = 0.134) and adverse reactions (24.81% vs. 21.61%, p = 0.221) was comparable between the experimental and control groups. Local adverse reactions were more frequent in the experimental group (10.00% vs. 6.12%, p = 0.021), such as erythema (7.88% vs. 4.02%, p = 0.008). Systemic adverse reactions, including fever (10.77% vs. 13.77%), showed no significant differences. No vaccine-related serious adverse events occurred. Immunogenicity assessments showed that seropositivity rates for most serotypes reached ≥96% in both groups, with eight serotypes achieving 100% seropositivity in the experimental group. PCV13i induced higher IgG geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) for serotypes 3, 7F, and 19F (p < 0.05), whereas the control group showed higher GMCs for serotypes 1, 5, 6A, and 14 (p < 0.05). Opsonophagocytic activity (OPA)-related geometric mean titers (GMTs) were superior for PCV13i against serotypes 7F (39,583 vs. 17,249, p < 0.001) and 19F (1517 vs. 983, p = 0.028), but lower for serotype 5 (13 vs. 93, p < 0.001). Conclusions: PCV13i demonstrated non-inferior immunogenicity and an acceptable safety profile in 12–23-month-old children.

Background: We performed a phase I experiment in a healthy teenage population in Sui County, Henan Province, China. The trial was randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled. Methods: Ninety-six adolescents were randomly assigned in three groups (high-dose, medium-dose, and low-dose) to receive a dose of the vaccine or the placebo. The patients were monitored for adverse events (AEs) for up to 30 days after each dose of the vaccine and for up to 6 months after all doses of serious AEs (SAEs). All observed AEs and SAEs were reported. Microneutralization assays were used to measure geometric mean titers (GMTs) and seroconversion rates for neutralizing antibodies. IgA and IgG antibodies specific to the rotavirus were detected. Results: The rates of total AEs in these groups were 8.33%, 37.50%, 12.50%, and 4.17%, respectively. The neutralizing antibody test revealed that the teenage groups with low, medium, and high doses of the vaccine had geometric mean titers of 424.32, 504.63, and 925.45, respectively, at 28 days following complete vaccination. The GMT of serum IgG at final immunization was 6501.86, 6501.82, and 10,173.3, in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups, respectively. The GMT of serum IgA at final immunization was 2733.64, 2233.29, and 3596.66 in the low-dose, medium-dose group, and high-dose groups, respectively. Conclusions: The majority of adverse events (AEs) were deemed Grade 1 or 2, suggesting that the vaccine’s safety profile is suitable for healthy adolescents. For the primary immunogenicity endpoints, a preliminary examination of the GMTs and the positive transfer rate of neutralizing antibodies in the different experimental groups revealed that, in adolescents aged 6–17, the high-dose group displayed significantly higher levels of neutralizing antibodies compared to the medium- and low-dose groups. Adolescents had few side effects from the new inactivated rotavirus vaccination, and it elicited an immune response.

Background: The multidose Sabin-strain inactivated poliovirus vaccine (sIPV) has the potential to significantly aid in the eradication of poliomyelitis, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. As part of a phase III clinical trial in which infants were given three doses of primary immunization at 2, 3, and 4 months of age, this study aimed to evaluate immune persistence following primary immunization, as well as the safety and immunogenicity of a booster of the 5-dose sIPV in infants aged 18 months. Methods: Infants aged 18 months were given one booster dose of 5-dose sIPV in stage one, which was open-label. Unblinding was performed for stage two after completing primary immunization, which was randomized, blinded, and controlled; infants aged 18 months in the test group I–III, IPV group, and single-dose sIPV group were given one booster dose of 5-dose sIPV, conventional IPV, and single-dose sIPV, respectively, in stage two. Results: This study included 1438 infants in the immune persistence and safety set and 1387 infants in the booster per-protocol set. Fourteen months after primary immunization, the seropositivity rates (≥1:8) for types 1–3 were 100%, 99.88%, and 99.53% in the 5-dose sIPV groups; 100%, 98.97%, and 97.23% in the IPV group; and 99.66%, 100%, and 99.66% in the single-dose sIPV group. A total of 30 days after booster immunization, the seropositivity rates (≥1:8) of 3 serotypes in all the groups reached 100%. The geometric mean titers of neutralizing antibodies for types 1–3 in the 5-dose sIPV group were 9962.89, 10273, and 7870.21, with geometric mean increases of 15.76, 33.15, and 24.5, compared to the pre-booster level. The overall incidence of adverse reactions was 8.97%, with fever being the most common, observed at rates of 7.1%, 5.52%, and 7.96% in the 5-dose sIPV, IPV, and single-dose groups, respectively (p = 0.4845). Conclusions: The 5-dose sIPV has shown promising immune persistence and robust immune response following a booster immunization, coupled with an acceptable safety profile.