Production, characterization and control of a Neisseria meningitidis hexavalent class 1 outer membrane protein containing vesicle vaccine

Abstract

An experimental serogroup B meningococcal vaccine was prepared from two genetically engineered strains; each expressing three different class I outer membrane proteins (OMPs) (PorA). The two strains expressed the subtypes P1.7,16;P1.5,2,P1.19,15 and P1.5(c),10;P1.12,13;P1.7(h),4, respectively. Outer membrane vesicles (OMV) were prepared from these strains by deoxycholate extraction, mixed with aluminiumphosphate as adjuvant and formulated to final vaccines. The class 1 OMPs represent ca 90% of the protein in the vaccine. The vaccine was found safe for human use and induced a bactericidal immune response in mice against five of the six wild type strains, which served as donors for the various porA genes.