Formulation With Three Antigens Exceeds Par In Adult Trials.(Brief Article)

2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) --

by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Compared with a standard hepatitis B vaccine containing a singular antigen, adult trials of a novel vaccine containing three antigens meets and in some instances exceeds expectations.

The results of an international, multicenter human trial show the novel vaccine, branded as Hepacare by Celltech Medeva Pharma PLC, may be of particular benefit to groups of adults who generally have demonstrated a poor response after receiving hepatitis B vaccines, i.e., men, the obese, individuals older than 40 years, and smokers. Moreover, the vaccine induces protective immunity after just two doses, suggesting better vaccine compliance could be accomplished in adults resistant to vaccination.

Researchers selected 303 previously unvaccinated adults to receive three-dose regimens of either Hepacare or a standard, single antigen hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax-HB). Eleven participants, belonging to both groups, withdrew from the trial before receiving all three doses.

Vaccine protection rates were 88% and 83%, respectively, after six months in adults who received two doses of Hepacare or after seven months in adults who received three doses of Recombivax-HB, according to Michael D. Young and colleagues at Celltech Chiroscience.

Furthermore, 97% of the adults who received three doses of Hepacare were protected against HBV in the seventh month after receiving the first dose of vaccine ("Comparison of a triple antigen and a single antigen recombinant vaccine for adult hepatitis B vaccination," Journal of Medical Virology, July 2001;64(3):290-298).

"The percentage of subjects protected increased with time ...