Efficacy of Alum-Adjuvanted Peptide and Carbohydrate Conjugate Vaccine Candidates against Group A <i>Streptococcus</i> Pharyngeal Infection in a Non-Human Primate Model
Tania Rivera-Hernandez,
Diane G. Carnathan,
Johanna Richter,
Patrick Marchant,
Amanda J. Cork,
Gayathiri Elangovan,
Anna Henningham,
Jason N. Cole,
Biswa Choudhury,
Peter M. Moyle,
Istvan Toth,
Michael R. Batzloff,
Michael F. Good,
Paresh Agarwal,
Neeraj Kapoor,
Victor Nizet,
Guido Silvestri,
Mark J. Walker
Affiliations
Tania Rivera-Hernandez
Consejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencia y Tecnología, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunoquímica, Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
Diane G. Carnathan
Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
Johanna Richter
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Patrick Marchant
Vaxcyte Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
Amanda J. Cork
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Gayathiri Elangovan
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Anna Henningham
Division of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Vc-Health Sciences-Schools, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
Jason N. Cole
Division of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Vc-Health Sciences-Schools, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
Biswa Choudhury
Division of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Vc-Health Sciences-Schools, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
Peter M. Moyle
School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Istvan Toth
School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Michael R. Batzloff
Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
Michael F. Good
Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
Paresh Agarwal
Vaxcyte Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
Neeraj Kapoor
Vaxcyte Inc., San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
Victor Nizet
Division of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Vc-Health Sciences-Schools, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
Guido Silvestri
Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
Mark J. Walker
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Vaccine development against group A Streptococcus (GAS) has gained traction in the last decade, fuelled by recognition of the significant worldwide burden of the disease. Several vaccine candidates are currently being evaluated in preclinical and early clinical studies. Here, we investigate two conjugate vaccine candidates that have shown promise in mouse models of infection. Two antigens, the J8 peptide from the conserved C-terminal end of the M protein, and the group A carbohydrate lacking N-acetylglucosamine side chain (ΔGAC) were each conjugated to arginine deiminase (ADI), an anchorless surface protein from GAS. Both conjugate vaccine candidates combined with alum adjuvant were tested in a non-human primate (NHP) model of pharyngeal infection. High antibody titres were detected against J8 and ADI antigens, while high background antibody titres in NHP sera hindered accurate quantification of ΔGAC-specific antibodies. The severity of pharyngitis and tonsillitis signs, as well as the level of GAS colonisation, showed no significant differences in NHPs immunised with either conjugate vaccine candidate compared to NHPs in the negative control group.
