Immunogenicity and Safety of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Administered in a 3 + 1 versus 2 + 1 Dose Schedule Among Infants in China

Abstract

Background: 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was licensed in China based on immunologic noninferiority to 7-valent PCV (PCV7). As part of the noninferiority study, immunogenicity and safety of PCV13 administered as a 3- or 2-dose infant series followed by a toddler dose were examined in healthy Chinese infants.

Methods: Infants (42- to 77-days-old) were randomized to a 3-dose PCV13 or PCV7 infant series administered double-blind at 3, 4 and 5 months or PCV13 administered open-label at 2, 4 and 6 months and a 2-dose open-label series at 3 and 5 months; all subjects received a toddler dose (12 months). Serotype-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations were measured 1 month after the infant series and before and after the toddler dose. Opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) was measured in a subset of subjects at each time point. Safety was evaluated.

Results: One month after the infant series, serotype-specific immune responses (IgG ≥ 0.35 µg/mL) were similar for the 2- versus 3-dose schedules, except for serotype 6B, which was significantly lower in the 2-dose group [70.1% in the PCV13 (3, 5 + 12 mo) group vs. 93.2% in the PCV13 (3, 4, 5 + 12 mo) group and 94.7% in the PCV13 (2, 4, 6 + 12 mo) group]. IgG geometric mean concentrations and OPA geometric mean titers trended numerically higher with 3- versus 2-dose schedules. No significant differences in immunogenicity were observed between the 3- versus 2-dose schedules after the toddler dose. PCV13 was well-tolerated across all schedules.

Conclusions: PCV13 administered as a 3- or 2-dose infant series followed by a toddler dose was immunogenic and well tolerated in healthy Chinese infants and likely protective against PCV13 serotypes; immune responses with a 2-dose schedule were lower for some serotypes.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01692886.