Safety and Immunogenicity of a 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23) in Chinese Children, Adults and the Elderly: A Phase 4, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active-Controlled Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES

This randomized, double-blind, active-controlled non-inferiority phase 4 clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) compared to an active comparator vaccine.

METHODS

Pneumococcal vaccine-naïve participants aged ≥2 years were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive a single dose of either the investigational vaccine (n = 1199) or the comparator vaccine (n = 600). Immunogenicity was evaluated at baseline and 30 days post-vaccination by measuring serotype-specific IgG antibodies against all 23 pneumococcal serotypes using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The primary outcome was seroconversion, defined as a ≥two-fold increase in serotype-specific IgG antibody titers at day 30 compared to baseline.

RESULTS

At one month post-vaccination, seroconversion rates for each of the 23 serotypes ranged from 59.22% to 95.67% in the treatment group, compared to 59.66% to 94.07% in the control group. Non-inferiority was demonstrated for all serotypes, with the lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for rate differences exceeding the predefined -10% margin. Moreover, superiority was observed for 12 serotypes (6B, 23F, 1, 2, 4, 8, 9N, 9V, 11A, 15B, 17F and 18C), as the lower bounds of their 95%CI for rate differences were above 0. Adverse reactions were reported in 236 (19.68%) participants of the investigational group and 118 (19.67%) of the control group within 30 days post-vaccination, with no significant differences between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The PPSV23 vaccine administered among individual aged ≥2 years was safe, well tolerated and immunogenic, eliciting an immune response either comparable to or higher than control vaccine. These findings support its use as a safe and effective option for pneumococcal immunization.