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Summary Background Influenza viruses cause substantial annual morbidity and mortality globally. Current vaccines protect against influenza only when well matched to the circulating strains. However, antigenic drift can cause considerable mismatches between vaccine and circulating strains, substantially reducing vaccine effectiveness. Moreover, current seasonal vaccines are ineffective against pandemic influenza, and production of a vaccine matched to a newly emerging virus strain takes months. Therefore, there is an unmet medical need for a broadly protective influenza virus vaccine. We aimed to test the ability of chimeric H1 haemagglutinin-based universal influenza virus vaccine candidates to induce broadly cross-reactive antibodies targeting the stalk domain of group 1 haemagglutinin-expressing influenza viruses. Methods We did a randomised, observer-blinded, phase 1 study in healthy adults in two centres in the USA. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three prime–boost, chimeric haemagglutinin-based vaccine regimens or one of two placebo groups. The vaccine regimens included a chimeric H8/1, intranasal, live-attenuated vaccine on day 1 followed by a non-adjuvanted, chimeric H5/1, intramuscular, inactivated vaccine on day 85; the same regimen but with the inactivated vaccine being adjuvanted with AS03; and an AS03-adjuvanted, chimeric H8/1, intramuscular, inactivated vaccine followed by an AS03-adjuvanted, chimeric H5/1, intramuscular, inactivated vaccine. In this planned interim analysis, the primary endpoints of reactogenicity and safety were assessed by blinded study group. We also assessed anti-H1 haemagglutinin stalk, anti-H2, anti-H9, and anti-H18 IgG antibody titres and plasmablast and memory B-cell responses in peripheral blood. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT03300050 . Findings Between Oct 10, 2017, and Nov 27, 2017, 65 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned. The adjuvanted inactivated vaccine, but not the live-attenuated vaccine, induced a substantial serum IgG antibody response after the prime immunisation, with a seven times increase in anti-H1 stalk antibody titres on day 29. After boost immunisation, all vaccine regimens induced detectable anti-H1 stalk antibody (2·2–5·6 times induction over baseline), cross-reactive serum IgG antibody, and peripheral blood plasmablast responses. An unsolicited adverse event was reported for 29 (48%) of 61 participants. Solicited local adverse events were reported in 12 (48%) of 25 participants following prime vaccination with intramuscular study product or placebo, in 12 (33%) of 36 after prime immunisation with intranasal study product or placebo, and in 18 (32%) of 56 following booster doses of study product or placebo. Solicited systemic adverse events were reported in 14 (56%) of 25 after prime immunisation with intramuscular study product or placebo, in 22 (61%) of 36 after immunisation with intranasal study product or placebo, and in 21 (38%) of 56 after booster doses of study product or placebo. Disaggregated safety data were not available at the time of this interim analysis. Interpretation The tested chimeric haemagglutinin-based, universal influenza virus vaccine regimens elicited cross-reactive serum IgG antibodies that targeted the conserved haemagglutinin stalk domain. This is the first proof-of-principle study to show that high anti-stalk titres can be induced by a rationally designed vaccine in humans and opens up avenues for further development of universal influenza virus vaccines. On the basis of the blinded study group, the vaccine regimens were tolerable and no safety concerns were observed. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Background: In an exploratory analysis of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4) trial in children 6-35 months without risk factors for influenza, we evaluated clinical presentation of influenza illness and vaccine impact on health outcomes. Methods: This phase III trial was conducted in 13 geographically diverse countries across 5 influenza seasons (2011-2014). Children were randomized 1:1 to IIV4 or control. Active surveillance was performed for influenza-like episodes (ILE); influenza was confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The total vaccinated cohort was evaluated (N = 12,018). Results: 5702 children experienced >= 1 ILE; 356 (IIV4 group) and 693 (control group) children had RT-PCR-confirmed influenza. Prevalence of ILE was similar in RT-PCR-positive and RT-PCR-negative cases regardless of vaccination. Breakthrough influenza illness was attenuated in children vaccinated with IIV4; moderate-to-severe illness was 41% less likely to be reported in the IIV4 group than the control group [crude odds ratio: 0.59 (95% confidence intervals: 0.44-0.77)]. Furthermore, fever >39 degrees C was 46% less frequent following vaccination with IIV4 than with control [crude odds ratio: 0.54 (95% confidence intervals: 0.39-0.75)] in children with breakthrough illness. Health outcome analysis showed that, each year, IIV4 would prevent 54 influenza cases per 1000 children and 19 children would need to be vaccinated to prevent 1 new influenza case. Conclusions: In addition to preventing influenza in 50% of participants, IIV4 attenuated illness severity and disease burden in children who had a breakthrough influenza episode despite vaccination.

Seasonal influenza viruses constantly change through antigenic drift and the emergence of pandemic influenza viruses through antigenic shift is unpredictable. Conventional influenza virus vaccines induce strain-specific neutralizing antibodies against the variable immunodominant globular head domain of the viral hemagglutinin protein. This necessitates frequent re-formulation of vaccines and handicaps pandemic preparedness. In this completed, observer-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase I trial (NCT03300050), safety and immunogenicity of chimeric hemagglutinin-based vaccines were tested in healthy, 18–39-year-old US adults. The study aimed to test the safety and ability of the vaccines to elicit broadly cross-reactive antibodies against the hemagglutinin stalk domain. Participants were enrolled into five groups to receive vaccinations with live-attenuated followed by AS03-adjuvanted inactivated vaccine (n = 20), live-attenuated followed by inactivated vaccine (n = 15), twice AS03-adjuvanted inactivated vaccine (n = 16) or placebo (n = 5, intranasal followed by intramuscular; n = 10, twice intramuscular) 3 months apart. Vaccination was found to be safe and induced a broad, strong, durable and functional immune response targeting the conserved, immunosubdominant stalk of the hemagglutinin. The results suggest that chimeric hemagglutinins have the potential to be developed as universal vaccines that protect broadly against influenza viruses.

The contribution of influenza B to the seasonal influenza burden varies from year-to-year. Although 2 antigenically distinct influenza B virus lineages have co-circulated since 2001, trivalent influenza vaccines (TIVs) contain antigens from only one influenza B virus. B-mismatch or co-circulation of both B lineages results in increased morbidity and mortality attributable to the B lineage absent from the vaccine. Quadrivalent vaccines (QIVs) contain both influenza B lineages. We reviewed currently licensed QIVs and their value by focusing on the preventable disease burden. Modeling studies support that QIVs are expected to prevent more influenza cases, hospitalisations and deaths than TIVs, although estimates of the case numbers prevented vary according to local specificities. The value of QIVs is demonstrated by their capacity to broaden the immune response and reduce the likelihood of a B-mismatched season. Some health authorities have preferentially recommended QIVs over TIVs in their influenza prevention programmes.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: We evaluated an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4) in children 6–35 months of age in a phase III, observer-blind trial. Methods: The aim of this analysis was to estimate vaccine efficacy (VE) in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza in each of 5 independent seasonal cohorts (2011−2014), as well as vaccine impact on healthcare utilization in 3 study regions (Europe/Mediterranean, Asia-Pacific and Central America). Healthy children were randomized 1:1 to IIV4 or control vaccines. VE was estimated against influenza confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on nasal swabs. Cultured isolates were characterized as antigenically matched/mismatched to vaccine strains. Results: The total vaccinated cohort included 12,018 children (N = 1777, 2526, 1564, 1501 and 4650 in cohorts 1−5, respectively). For reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction confirmed influenza of any severity (all strains combined), VE in cohorts 1−5 was 57.8%, 52.9%, 73.4%, 30.3% and 41.4%, respectively, with the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval >0 for all estimates. The proportion of vaccine match for all strains combined in each cohort was 0.9%, 79.3%, 72.5%, 24.1% and 28.6%, respectively. Antibiotic use associated with influenza illness was reduced with IIV4 by 71% in Europe, 36% in Asia Pacific and 59% in Central America. Conclusions: IIV4 prevented influenza in children 6−35 months of age in each of 5 separate influenza seasons in diverse geographical regions. A possible interaction between VE, degree of vaccine match and socioeconomic status was observed. The IIV4 attenuated the severity of breakthrough influenza illness and reduced healthcare utilization, particularly antibiotic use.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Background: It has not yet been demonstrated whether 2 doses of inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4) prime a booster response in infants. We evaluated the anamnestic immune response to an IIV4 in children 17−48 months of age. Methods: Children were randomized to 2 doses of IIV4 or control in the primary phase III study (NCT01439360). One year later, in an open-label revaccination extension study (NCT01702454), a subset of children who received IIV4 in the primary study (primed group) received 1 IIV4 dose and children who received control in the primary study (unprimed) received 2 IIV4 doses 28 days apart. The primary objective was to evaluate hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers 7 days after first IIV4 vaccination in the per-protocol cohort (N = 224 primed; N = 209 unprimed). Neutralizing and antineuraminidase antibodies were also measured. Safety was analyzed in the total vaccinated cohort (N = 241 primed; N = 229 unprimed). Results: An anamnestic response was observed in primed children relative to unprimed controls, measured by age-adjusted geometric mean HI titer ratios against strains homologous (A/H1N1: 9.0; B/Victoria: 3.9) and heterologous (A/H3N2: 2.7; B/Yamagata: 6.7) to those in the primary vaccination series. The anamnestic response in primed children included increases in neutralizing antibodies (mean geometric increase: 5.0–10.6) and antineuraminidase antibodies (4.9–8.8). No serious adverse events related to vaccination were reported. Conclusions: In this study, 2-dose priming with IIV4 induced immune memory that was recalled with 1-dose IIV4 the following year to boost HI, antineuraminidase and neutralizing antibodies, even though the IIV4 strain composition partially changed.

Background GSK has modified the licensed monovalent bulk manufacturing process for its split-virion inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4) to harmonize the process among different strains, resulting in an increased number of finished vaccine doses, while compensating for the change from inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine (IIV3) to IIV4. To confirm the manufacturing changes do not alter the profile of the vaccine, a clinical trial was conducted to compare IIV4 made by the currently licensed process with a vaccine made by the new (investigational) process (IIV4-I). The main objectives were to compare the reactogenicity and safety of IIV4-I versus IIV4 in all age groups, and to demonstrate the non-inferiority of the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody responses based on the geometric mean titer ratio of IIV4-I versus IIV4 in children. Methods The Phase III, randomized, double-blind, multinational study included three cohorts: adults (18–49 years; N = 120), children (3–17 years; N = 821), and infants (6–35 months; N = 940). Eligible subjects in each cohort were randomized 1:1 to receive IIV4-I or IIV4. Both vaccines contained 15 μg of hemagglutinin antigen for each of the four seasonal virus strains. Adults and vaccine-primed children received one dose of vaccine, and vaccine-unprimed children received two doses of vaccine 28 days apart. All children aged ≥9 years were considered to be vaccine-primed and received one dose of vaccine. Results The primary immunogenicity objective of the study was met in demonstrating immunogenic non-inferiority of IIV4-I versus IIV4 in children. The IIV4-I was immunogenic against all four vaccine strains in each age cohort. The reactogenicity and safety profile of IIV4-I was similar to IIV4 in each age cohort, and there was no increase in the relative risk of fever (≥38 °C) with IIV4-I versus IIV4 within the 7-day post-vaccination period in infants (1.06; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.75, 1.50; p = 0.786). Conclusions The study demonstrated that in adults, children, and infants, the IIV4-I made using an investigational manufacturing process was immunogenic with a reactogenicity and safety profile that was similar to licensed IIV4. These results support that the investigational process used to manufacture IIV4-I is suitable to replace the current licensed process. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02207413; trial registration date: August 4, 2014. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-018-3079-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundDespite the importance of vaccinating children younger than 5 years, few studies evaluating vaccine prevention of influenza have been reported in this age group. We evaluated efficacy of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (IIV4) in children aged 6–35 months.MethodsIn this phase 3, observer-blinded, multinational trial, healthy children from 13 countries in Europe, Central America, and Asia were recruited in five independent cohorts, each in a different influenza season. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to either IIV4 (15 μg haemagglutinin antigen per strain per 0·5 mL dose; a single dose on day 0 for vaccine-primed children, and two doses, on days 0 and 28, for vaccine-unprimed children) or to one or two doses of a non-influenza control vaccine. Primary endpoints were moderate-to-severe influenza or all influenza (irrespective of disease severity) confirmed by RT-PCR on nasal swabs. Cultured isolates were further characterised as antigenically matched or mismatched to vaccine strains. Efficacy was assessed in the per-protocol cohort and total vaccinated cohort (time-to-event analysis), and safety was assessed in the total vaccinated cohort.FindingsBetween Oct 1, 2011, and Dec 31, 2014, 12 018 children were recruited into the total vaccinated cohort (6006 children in the IIV4 group and 6012 children in the control group). 356 (6%) children in the IIV4 group and 693 (12%) children in the control group had at least one case of RT-PCR-confirmed influenza. Of these 1049 influenza strains, 138 (13%) were A/H1N1, 529 (50%) were A/H3N2, 69 (7%) were B/Victoria, and 316 (30%) were B/Yamagata. Overall, 539 (64%) of 848 antigenically characterised isolates were vaccine-mismatched (16 [15%] of 105 for A/H1N1; 368 [97%] of 378 for A/H3N2; 54 [86%] of 63 for B/Victoria; 101 [33%] of 302 for B/Yamagata). Vaccine efficacy was 63% (97·5% CI 52–72) against moderate-to-severe influenza and 50% (42–57) against all influenza in the per-protocol cohort, and 64% (53–73) against moderate-to-severe influenza and 50% (42–57) against all influenza in the total vaccinated cohort. There were no clinically meaningful safety differences between IIV4 and control.InterpretationIIV4 prevented influenza A and B in children aged 6–35 months despite high levels of vaccine mismatch. Vaccine efficacy was highest against moderate-to-severe disease, which is the most clinically important endpoint associated with greatest burden.FundingGlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA.

Because inactivated trivalent influenza vaccines (TIVs) contain 1 influenza B strain, whereas 2 lineages may co-circulate, B lineage mismatch is frequent. We assessed an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) containing both B lineages versus TIV in young children.Children aged 18-47 months who had received 2 doses of TIV in a study during the previous season (primed cohort, n = 192) were randomized 1:1 to receive 1 dose of TIV or QIV, and a further 407 children (unprimed cohort) were randomized 1:1 to receive 2 doses of TIV or QIV 28 days apart. Immunogenicity was assessed by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) prevaccination and 28 days after each vaccination. Immunogenic non-inferiority QIV versus TIV for shared strains, and superiority against the alternate-lineage B strain were based on HI geometric mean titers (pooled analyses of primed and half of unprimed cohort with Day 56 immunogenicity assessment). Solicited and unsolicited adverse events were assessed during each 7- and 28-day postvaccination period, respectively (NCT00985790).Non-inferiority for shared strains and superiority for the alternate-lineage B strain unique to QIV was demonstrated for QIV versus TIV. QIV was immunogenic against all 4 vaccine strains and 87.0%, 88.6%, 69.8% and 97.9% of children had postvaccination titers of ≥ 1:40 against A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Victoria and B/Yamagata, respectively. Reactogenicity and safety of QIV was consistent with TIV.QIV provided superior immunogenicity for the alternate-lineage B strain compared with TIV without interfering with immune responses to shared strains. Further studies are warranted to assess QIVs in children and to establish the clinical benefits of QIV versus TIV.

Background The effectiveness of trivalent influenza vaccines may be reduced in older versus younger adults because of age-related immunosenescence. The use of an adjuvant in such a vaccine is one strategy that may combat immunosenescence, potentially by bolstering T-cell mediated responses. Methods This observer-blind study, conducted in the United States (US) and Spain during the 2008–2009 influenza season, evaluated the effect of Adjuvant System AS03 on specific T-cell responses to a seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) in ≥65 year-old adults. Medically-stable adults aged ≥65 years were randomly allocated to receive a single dose of AS03-adjuvanted TIV (TIV/AS03) or TIV. Healthy adults aged 18–40 years received only TIV. Blood samples were collected on Day 0, Day 21, Day 42 and Day 180. Influenza-specific CD4+ T cells, defined by the induction of the immune markers CD40L, IL-2, IFN-γ, or TNF-α, were measured in ex vivo cultures of antigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results A total of 192 adults were vaccinated: sixty nine and seventy three ≥65 year olds received TIV/AS03 and TIV, respectively; and fifty 18 - 40 year olds received TIV. In the ≥65 year-old group on Day 21, the frequency of CD4+ T cells specific to the three vaccine strains was superior in the TIV/AS03 recipients to the frequency in TIV (p

Children are at increased risk of influenza infection compared with the general population, and influenza is associated with relatively high rates of serious illness in children of preschool age [1–5]. Among influenza virus types, influenza A is generally considered to represent the greatest public health concern, yet the burden of influenza B in children is substantial. Influenza-related hospitalizations and complications such as myositosis are more common in children infected with influenza B than with influenza A [6–8]. Annual influenza vaccination is the most effective method for preventing influenza and associated complications, and trivalent influenza vaccines include 2 influenza A strains (A/H1N1, A/H3N2) and 1 influenza B strain, selected using surveillance-based forecasts [9]. Two antigenically distinct influenza B lineages (B/Yamagata and B/Victoria) emerged globally in humans in the early 1980s and have co-circulated in the United States since 2001[10]. However, trivalent influenza vaccines provide limited or no cross-reactive protection between the 2 influenza B lineages [11]. Moreover, in the United States, the seasonal trivalent vaccine was mismatched for the circulating influenza B lineage in 5 of 10 influenza seasons between 2001 and 2010 and in Europe was mismatched in 4 of 8 seasons between 2003 and 2010 [12–14]. Given the burden of influenza B infection and the rate of B-lineage mismatch with trivalent vaccines, in February 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended B strains from both lineages for inclusion in quadrivalent vaccines for use in the 2012/2013 season in the Northern Hemisphere [15]. Here we report a Phase III, randomized, double-blind study of a candidate inactivated quadrivalent split viron influenza vaccine (QIV) containing both B lineages compared with 2 inactivated trivalent influenza vaccines (TIV) in children aged 3–17 years. The purpose of the study was to test the immunologic noninferiority of QIV vs TIV against shared influenza A and B strains, and superiority against influenza B of QIV vs TIVs containing an alternate-lineage B strain. QIV was also assessed in children aged 6–35 months as a separate open-label group.

During the past decade, the technological revolution in microelectronics and software has led to the introduction of numerous automated tools. The necessity to unveil the vast amount of information that lies hidden in biological samples has driven the development of a huge variety of commercially available equipment. Automation efforts are currently concentrated in areas such as clinical analysis, chemical analysis and biological drug screening. Increasing knowledge of the capabilities of automation in the laboratory, as well as the availability of more and better equipment/software systems, is revolutionizing our concept of automation; currently, automated processes are under development not only for the replacement of traditionally manual procedures, but also for novel specifically designed procedures. The introduction of new work planners, expert systems, data-handling software, automation hardware (e.g., robots), conveyor systems and micro-machinery testifies to the integral role of automated processes in the biotechnology laboratory of the future.