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Immunology 2018
J u l y 0 5 - 0 7 , 2 0 1 8
V i e n n a , A u s t r i a
Page 62
Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
ISSN 2471-304X
1 5 t h I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o n
Immunology
GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH) aims to develop affordable
vaccines to fight neglected bacterial diseases prevalently affecting
developing countries. GMMA (generalized module for membrane antigens)
are outer membrane blebs naturally released from Gram-negative bacteria,
genetically modified to induce hyper-blebbing and reduce the endotoxic
activity of lipopolysaccharides. We have developed a panel of immuno-assays
to assure full characterization of GMMA based vaccines. Such methods have
been used in pre-clinical studies and are important to support GMMA clinical
testing. Immunogenicity of sera is assessed by ELISA, while functionality
of antibodies is characterized through a newly developed high-throughput
luminescence-based serumbactericidal assay (L-SBA), able to detect surviving
bacteria by measuring their ATP. L-SBA considerably shortens assay time,
facilitates data acquisition and analysis, and reduces the operator dependency,
avoiding the plating and counting of CFUs. We showed, both in pre-clinical
and clinical studies that GMMA based vaccines targeting different pathogens
such as Shigella, Salmonella or N. meningitidis are highly immunogenic.
In animal studies, GMMA elicited higher functional antibody responses
against key vaccine candidate antigens, whether these are polysaccharide or
protein moieties, compared with corresponding purified antigens delivered
as glycoconjugate vaccines (for polysaccharide antigens, e.g. O-antigen of
Salmonella) or recombinant formulations (for protein antigens, e.g. factor
H binding protein of meningococcus). This could be the result of efficient
antigen presentation to the immune system, the adjuvanting effect of GMMA,
which changes the IgG profile or a combination of both effects. S. sonnei
GMMA have been already tested in clinical trials, showing to be well tolerated
and immunogenic in European adults and endemic populations. With good
immunogenicity, low cost, and ability to induce functional antibodies, GMMA
technology is potentially attractive for development of vaccines against
bacteria of global health significance.
Biography
Francesca Mancini has completed her PhD from Padova
University and Post-doctoral studies from Novartis Vaccines
and Florence University. She is a Scientist at Glaxo Vaccines
InstituteforGlobalHealth(GVGH),anorganizationthatoperates
in order to develop effective and affordable vaccines against
neglected infectious diseases, such as typhoid fever, shigellosis
and streptococcal disease (and relevant complications). She
has published 10 papers in reputed journals.
Immunological characterisation of vaccines based on
generalised modules for membrane antigens (GMMA)
F Mancini, O Rossi, M G Aruta, R Alfini, M Carducci, O Koeberling, S
Rondini, A P Podda, A J Saul, L B Martin, F Micoli and F Necchi
GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health(GVGH), Siena, Italy
F Mancini et al., Insights Allergy Asthma Bronchitis 2018, Volume: 4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-304X-C1-002