Due to recent concern of biowarfare and bioterrorism, the US government is making efforts to improve its ability to protect citizens against the smallpox virus. This study will evaluate safety of IMVAMUNE®, an investigational smallpox vaccine, and its ability to stimulate the immune system (the body's defense system). Two vaccine preparations have the same name but one is a liquid and one is a powder that has liquid added just before it is given. The vaccine that comes as a liquid will be injected (given as a shot) just under the skin (subcutaneously) or injected between the layers of the skin (intradermally). The powder formulation is only injected just under the skin. Approximately 495 adults, age 18 older born after 1971, which have not had smallpox vaccine before, may participate in the study for about 7 months.
Smallpox was declared officially eradicated by the World Health Assembly in 1980. Despite the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared smallpox to be eradicated, a new threat exists due to the potential use of variola virus as an agent for biological warfare and/or bio-terrorism. Following the events of September 11, 2001 the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases contracted for the advanced development of IMVAMUNE®. Initially, a lyophilized formulation was manufactured, which was reconstituted 'at the bedside' prior to administration in clinical and non-clinical settings. Due in part to the potential requirement for mass vaccinations coupled with the increased manufacturing time and other constrains associated with lyophilization, it was decided to transition to a liquid product formulation. Therefore, after 2005, clinical and non-clinical efforts have focused largely on the liquid formulation, though non-clinical studies with the lyophilized formulation continued. Presently, due to the potential need to be able to stockpile Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) for an extended period of time, there is renewed interest in the lyophilized formulation. The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and immunogenicity of lyophilized IMVAMUNE® \[1x10\^8 tissue culture infectious dose 50 (TCID50)\] versus liquid formulation IMVAMUNE® (1x10\^8 TCID50) administered by the subcutaneous (SC) route and a lower dose liquid formulation IMVAMUNE® (2x10\^7 TCID50) administered by the intradermal (ID) route in healthy vaccinia-naïve individuals. This study is designed as a randomized, non-placebo controlled, partially-blinded study (liquid versus lyophilized formulation by the SC route Group B versus A). The study staff is unblinded to Group C. The study will contain 3 arms: Group A \[Number (N)=165\] will receive a 2 dose regimen of IMVAMUNE® (1x10\^8 TCID50/0.5 mL per dose) lyophilized formulation by the SC route on Day 0 and 28. Group B (N=165) will receive a 2 dose regimen of IMVAMUNE® (1x10\^8 TCID50/0.5 mL per dose) liquid formulation by the SC route on Day 0 and 28. Group C (N=165) will receive a 2 dose regimen of IMVAMUNE® (2x10\^7 TCID50/0.1 mL per dose) liquid formulation by the ID route on Day 0 and 28. Safety will be measured by assessment of solicited local and systemic reactions within 15 days after each vaccination (Day 0-14), unsolicited adverse events for 28 days following the second vaccination (56 days following the initial vaccination for those subjects that fail to receive the second vaccination), and serious adverse events through six months post the final vaccination. Immunogenicity testing will include assessment of vaccinia-specific plaque reduction neutralizing antibody titers (PRNT) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) mean geometric titers (GMT) based on individual peak titers. For each subject, the peak PRNT or ELISA will be defined as the largest titer among all available measurements post second vaccination.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
523
Vaccinia vaccine liquid formulation delivered by subcutaneous (SC) route at 1x10\^8 TCID50 per 0.5 mL dose on Days 0 and 28.
Vaccinia vaccine liquid formulation delivered at lower dose \[2x10\^7 tissue culture infectious dose 50 (TCID50) per 0.1 mL dose\] by intradermal (ID) route on Days 0 and 28.
Vaccinia vaccine lyophilized formulation delivered by subcutaneous (SC) route at 1x10\^8 TCID50 per 0.5 mL dose on Days 0 and 28.
Emory Vaccine Center - The Hope Clinic
Decatur, Georgia, United States
University of Iowa - Vaccine Research & Education Unit
Iowa City, Iowa, United States
University of Maryland School of Medicine - Center for Vaccine Development - Baltimore
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Saint Louis University - Center for Vaccine Development
St Louis, Missouri, United States
Vanderbilt University Hospital - Pediatric Clinical Research
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Baylor College of Medicine - Molecular Virology and Microbiology
Houston, Texas, United States
Group Health Research Institute - Seattle
Seattle, Washington, United States
The University of Washington - Virology Research Clinic
Seattle, Washington, United States
Geometric Mean Titer (GMT) Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak Plaque Reduction Neutralization Titers (PRNT) Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Lyophilized Versus Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Liquid Administered Subcutaneously, ITT Population
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the PRNT assay with vaccinia-Western Reserve (replicating vaccinia) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated for each participant's individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 7.5 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak PRNT Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Lyophilized Versus Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Liquid Administered Subcutaneously, Per Protocol Population
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the PRNT assay with vaccinia-Western Reserve (replicating vaccinia) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated for each participant's individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 7.5 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak PRNT, Following 2 (Lower) Doses Liquid IMVAMUNE® Administered Intradermally Versus 2 (Higher) Doses of Liquid IMVAMUNE® Administered Subcutaneously, ITT Population
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the PRNT assay with vaccinia-Western Reserve (replicating vaccinia) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated for each participant's individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 7.5 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak PRNT, Following 2 (Lower) Doses Liquid IMVAMUNE® Administered Intradermally Versus 2 (Higher) Doses of Liquid IMVAMUNE® Administered Subcutaneously, Per Protocol Population
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the PRNT assay with vaccinia-Western Reserve (replicating vaccinia) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated for each timepoint as well as for the peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 7.5 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination
Number of Participants Reporting Serious Adverse Events Associated With IMVAMUNE® Vaccination
An SAE is defined as an AE or suspected adverse reaction is considered serious if, in the view of either the investigator or the sponsor, it results in death, a life-threatening AE, inpatient hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, a persistent or significant incapacity or substantial disruption of the ability to conduct normal life functions, or a congenital anomaly/birth defect. Those SAEs considered associated are those with a known temporal relationship, or the event is known to occur in association with study product or with a product in a similar class of study products AND no alternate etiology is identified.
Time frame: Day 0 through 180 days after second vaccination
Number of Participants Assessed With Grade 3 and 4 Laboratory Toxicities Associated With IMVAMUNE®.
Safety laboratory parameters included hemoglobin, white blood cells (WBC), platelets, ALT, and serum creatinine. These parameters were evaluated at Day 0 and 14 days after vaccination. Thresholds for Grade 3 or 4 were hemoglobin less than 8.0 g/dL, WBC less than 2000 cells/mm\^3, platelets less than 50,000 cells/mm\^3, ALT 5.0 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) or greater, and serum creatinine of 1.9 times ULN or greater. Associated with IMVAMUNE was defined as a known temporal relationship, or the event is known to occur in association with study product or with a product in a similar class of study products AND no alternate etiology is identified.
Time frame: Days 0, 14 and 42
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak ELISA Titers, Following 2 Doses (Lower) Liquid Formulation IMVAMUNE® Administered Intradermally Versus That Obtained Following 2 Doses IMVAMUNE® Liquid Formulation Administered Subcutaneously, ITT Population
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the ELISA assay with IMVAMUNE (non-replicating vaccinia in humans) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated for each participant's individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 25 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak ELISA Titers, Following 2 Doses (Lower) Liquid Formulation IMVAMUNE® Administered Intradermally Versus That Obtained Following 2 Doses IMVAMUNE® Liquid Formulation Subcutaneously, Per Protocol Population
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the ELISA assay with IMVAMUNE (non-replicating vaccinia in humans) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated for each participant's individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 25 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after second vaccination
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak ELISA Titers Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Lyophilized Formulation Versus That Obtained Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Liquid Formulation Subcutaneously, ITT Population.
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Blood was collected from participants for testing in the ELISA assay with IMVAMUNE (non-replicating vaccinia in humans) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated using the individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 25 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination.
GMT Based on Vaccinia-specific Individual Peak ELISA Titers Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Lyophilized Formulation Versus That Obtained Following 2 Doses of IMVAMUNE® Liquid Formulation Subcutaneously, Per Protocol Population.
Blood was collected from participants for testing in the ELISA assay with IMVAMUNE (non-replicating vaccinia in humans) as the assay antigen. The geometric mean titers were calculated using the individual peak titer after second vaccination. Titer values below limit of detection were replaced by 25 (half the lower limit of detection) for analysis.
Time frame: Days 14, 28 and 180 after 2nd vaccination.