A phase 3, randomized, active-controlled study to assess the safety and tolerability of meningococcal serogroup B vaccine bivalent rLP2086 in healthy adolescents and young adults

Background: Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MnB) is an important cause of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). A MnB vaccine (bivalent rLP2086, Trumenba(®)) consisting of 2 factor H binding protein variants received accelerated approval in the United States for the prevention of IMD caused by MnB in individuals 10-25 years of age. This randomized, active-controlled, observer-blind study further assessed the safety and tolerability of bivalent rLP2086.

Methods: Eligible subjects ≥ 10 to < 26 years were randomized (2:1) to receive bivalent rLP2086 at months 0, 2, and 6, or hepatitis A virus vaccine (HAV, Havrix(®)) at months 0 and 6, and saline at month 2. The primary endpoints were serious adverse events (SAEs) throughout the study and medically-attended adverse events (MAEs) within 30 days after vaccination. Additional safety assessments included SAEs at other study intervals and adverse events (AEs) during the vaccination phase.

Results: Of 5712 subjects randomized, 84.6% (n = 3219) of bivalent rLP2086 recipients and 87.2% (n = 1663) of HAV/saline recipients completed the study. Throughout the study, SAEs were reported for 1.6% and 2.5% of bivalent rLP2086 and HAV/saline recipients, respectively. SAEs related to either vaccine were rare. MAEs occurred in 7.0% and 6.1% of subjects after vaccination 1; 5.5% and 6.1% after vaccination 2; and 5.3% and 5.5% after vaccination 3 in the bivalent rLP2086 and HAV/saline groups, respectively. A greater proportion of subjects reported AEs during the vaccination phase after bivalent rLP2086 compared with HAV/saline recipients; however, when reactogenicity events were excluded, the proportion between groups was similar.

Conclusion: This safety study, the largest randomized, active-controlled trial evaluating a recombinant MnB vaccine, demonstrated that bivalent rLP2086 is safe and tolerable in healthy individuals ≥ 10 to < 26 years of age.