Safety and Immunogenicity of an Inactivated Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus Vaccine Expressing SARS-CoV-2 Spike: Interim Results of a Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 1/2 Trial
Punnee Pitisuttithum, Viravarn Luvira, Saranath Lawpoolsri, Sant Muangnoicharoen, Supitcha Kamolratanakul, Chaisith Sivakorn, Piengthong Narakorn, Somchaiya Surichan, Sumalee Prangpratanporn, Suttida Puksuriwong, Steven Lamola, Laina D Mercer, Rama Raghunandan, Weina Sun, Yonghong Liu, Juan Manuel Carreño, Rami Scharf, Weerapong Phumratanaprapin, Fatima Amanat, Luc Gagnon, Ching-Lin Hsieh, Ruangchai Kaweepornpoj, Sarwat Khan, Manjari Lal, Stephen McCroskery, Jason McLellan, Ignacio Mena, Marcia Meseck, Benjaluck Phonrat, Yupa Sabmee, Ratsamikorn Singchareon, Stefan Slamanig, Nava Suthepakul, Johnstone Tcheou, Narumon Thantamnu, Sompone Theerasurakarn, Steven Tran, Thanakrit Vilasmongkolchai, Jessica A White, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Peter Palese, Florian Krammer, Kittisak Poopipatpol, Ponthip Wirachwong, Richard Hjorth, Bruce L Innis, Punnee Pitisuttithum, Viravarn Luvira, Saranath Lawpoolsri, Sant Muangnoicharoen, Supitcha Kamolratanakul, Chaisith Sivakorn, Piengthong Narakorn, Somchaiya Surichan, Sumalee Prangpratanporn, Suttida Puksuriwong, Steven Lamola, Laina D Mercer, Rama Raghunandan, Weina Sun, Yonghong Liu, Juan Manuel Carreño, Rami Scharf, Weerapong Phumratanaprapin, Fatima Amanat, Luc Gagnon, Ching-Lin Hsieh, Ruangchai Kaweepornpoj, Sarwat Khan, Manjari Lal, Stephen McCroskery, Jason McLellan, Ignacio Mena, Marcia Meseck, Benjaluck Phonrat, Yupa Sabmee, Ratsamikorn Singchareon, Stefan Slamanig, Nava Suthepakul, Johnstone Tcheou, Narumon Thantamnu, Sompone Theerasurakarn, Steven Tran, Thanakrit Vilasmongkolchai, Jessica A White, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, Peter Palese, Florian Krammer, Kittisak Poopipatpol, Ponthip Wirachwong, Richard Hjorth, Bruce L Innis
Abstract
Background: Production of affordable coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in low- and middle-income countries is needed. NDV-HXP-S is an inactivated egg-based Newcastle disease virus vaccine expressing the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It's being developed in Thailand, Vietnam, and Brazil; herein are initial results from Thailand.
Methods: This phase 1 stage of a randomised, dose-escalation, observer-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2 trial was conducted at the Vaccine Trial Centre, Mahidol University (Bangkok). Healthy adults aged 18-59 years, non-pregnant and negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were eligible. Participants were block randomised to receive one of six treatments by intramuscular injection twice, 28 days apart: 1 µg±CpG1018 (a toll-like receptor 9 agonist), 3 µg±CpG1018, 10 µg, or placebo. Participants and personnel assessing outcomes were masked to treatment. The primary outcomes were solicited and spontaneously reported adverse events (AEs) during 7 and 28 days after each vaccination, respectively. Secondary outcomes were immunogenicity measures (anti-S IgG and pseudotyped virus neutralisation). An interim analysis assessed safety at day 57 in treatment-exposed individuals and immunogenicity through day 43 per protocol. ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04764422 ).
Findings: Between March 20 and April 23, 2021, 377 individuals were screened and 210 were enrolled (35 per group); all received dose one; five missed dose two. The most common solicited AEs among vaccinees, all predominantly mild, were injection site pain (<63%), fatigue (<35%), headache (<32%), and myalgia (<32%). The proportion reporting a vaccine-related AE ranged from 5·7% to 17·1% among vaccine groups and was 2·9% in controls; there was no vaccine-related serious adverse event. The 10 µg formulation's immunogenicity ranked best, followed by 3 µg+CpG1018, 3 µg, 1 µg+CpG1018, and 1 µg formulations. On day 43, the geometric mean concentrations of 50% neutralising antibody ranged from 122·23 IU/mL (1 µg, 95% CI 86·40-172·91) to 474·35 IU/mL (10 µg, 95% CI 320·90-701·19), with 93·9% to 100% of vaccine groups attaining a ≥4-fold increase over baseline.
Interpretation: NDV-HXP-S had an acceptable safety profile and potent immunogenicity. The 3 µg and 3 µg+CpG1018 formulations advanced to phase 2.
Funding: National Vaccine Institute (Thailand), National Research Council (Thailand), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Institutes of Health (USA).
Source: PubMed