Randomized trial showing persistence of hSBA titers elicited by a pentavalent meningococcal MenABCWY vaccine for up to 4 years following a primary series and safety and immunogenicity of a booster dose

BACKGROUND: Vaccination against 5 prominent meningococcal serogroups (A/B/C/W/Y) is necessary for broad disease protection. We report immunopersistence through 4 years after a 2-dose (6-month interval) pentavalent MenABCWY primary vaccine series and safety and immunogenicity of a booster administered 4 years after primary vaccination. METHODS: This randomized, active-controlled, observer-blinded study was conducted in the United States and Europe. In stage 1, healthy MenACWY vaccine-naive or -experienced 10- to 25-year-olds were randomized 1:2 to receive MenABCWY and placebo or MenB-fHbp and MenACWY-CRM. Eligible participants were randomly selected to participate in stage 2, which was an open-label immunopersistence and booster extension. Immunogenicity was assessed through serum bactericidal antibody using human complement (hSBA) assays with serogroups A/C/W/Y (MenA/C/W/Y) and 4 primary serogroup B (MenB) test strains. Immunogenicity endpoints included hSBA seroprotection rates through 48 months after primary vaccination and 1 month after the booster. Safety endpoints included booster reactogenicity events and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Of 1379 eligible participants, 353 entered stage 2; 242 completed the 48-month blood draw after primary vaccination and 240 completed the booster vaccination phase. MenA/C/W/Y seroprotection rates remained high for 4 years following a 2-dose MenABCWY primary series (MenACWY-naive, 62.0 %-100.0 %; MenACWY-experienced, 98.7 %-100.0 %) and trended higher than those after a single MenACWY-CRM dose (MenACWY-naive, 38.1 %-95.2 %; MenACWY-experienced, 89.7 %-100.0 %). Corresponding seroprotection rates against MenB remained stable and generally higher than baseline (MenABCWY, 18.2 %-36.6 %; MenB-fHbp, 16.2 %-31.9 % across strains). Following a booster, seroprotection rates against all 5 serogroups were ≥ 93.8 % across groups. Most booster dose reactogenicity events were mild or moderate in severity, and AEs were infrequent. CONCLUSIONS: Immune responses remained high for MenA/C/W/Y and above baseline for MenB through 4 years after the MenABCWY primary series, with robust responses for all 5 serogroups observed following a booster. The MenABCWY booster had an acceptable safety and tolerability profile consistent with the primary series. NCT03135834.