Development made in breakdown of a Meningitis B vaccine component

7 February 2012

The research, which is a collaboration between scientists at the HPA, University of Warwick and Novartis - and was funded in part by the Meningitis Research Foundation - describes the characteristics of a vaccine antigen.

Antigens are molecules that, when introduced into the body, trigger the production of an antibody which the immune system can then use to fight the infection. The research looked specifically at the Neisserial Heparin Binding Antigen (NHBA) to understand better its structure, an important element of setting up the quality control testing of a vaccine.

The paper found that the antigen must remain structurally stable in order for it to be an effective antigen for a vaccine – ensuring the stability of vaccine antigens forms a crucial part of the regulatory assessment of the 4CMenB vaccine, which is currently awaiting approval from the European Medicines Agency.

Meningococcal meningitis is the inflammation of the linings of the brain and spinal cord following infection with the Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. There are different strains of these bacteria, one of which is the meningococcal B strain. This particular strain can affect anywhere between 785 and 1,700 people per year. In 2009/2010 there were 785 confirmed cases, the lowest number since 2000/2001 when 1,690 confirmed cases were recorded by the HPA.

Co-lead author of the study Dr Barbara Bolgiano, a principal scientist at the HPA’s National Institute for Biological Standards and Control said: “Our study examined the stability of a crucial component to the development of the Meningitis B vaccine, known as 4CMenB. We concluded that a specific component of the vaccine remained stable and retained its ability to stimulate an immune response. This information will help in the vaccine’s development.”
“This is a crucial part of research which will contribute to discussions about the introduction of vaccine for Men B. Although it is still early days, we are pleased to have made this contribution to the development process.”

Dr Stephen Inglis, director of the HPA’s National Institute for Biological Standards and Control said: “This is a significant piece of research which will contribute to the overall vaccine development process. It’s important to note that vaccines can take years to develop and although this is a vital part of the chain, a huge amount of work will be needed to test whether this exciting candidate can become a reality.”

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

1. Meningitis is the inflammation of the linings of the brain and spinal cord and septicaemia is the blood poisoning form of the disease. These conditions have different sets of symptoms and can occur separately or together. They can be caused by a variety of different organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi. When caused by meningococcal bacteria, these two conditions together are known as meningococcal disease.

2.   The table below shows confirmed Meningococcal Reference Unit isolates of Neisseria menengitidis: England and Wales, by serogroup & epidemiological year, 1998/99-2009/10*

3.  The Health Protection Agency is an independent UK organisation that was set up by the government in 2003 to protect the public from threats to their health from infectious diseases and environmental hazards. In April 2013, subject to the usual approvals procedures for establishing new bodies, the Health Protection Agency will become part of a new organisation called Public Health England, an executive agency of the Department of Health. To find out more, visit our website: www.hpa.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @HPAuk.

4.  For more information please contact the national HPA press office at Colindale on 0208 327 7901 or email colindale-pressoffice@hpa.org.uk. Out of hours the duty press officer can be contacted on 0208 200 4400.
 

Last reviewed: 1 May 2012