Immunogenicity and safety of concomitant vaccines given with 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in healthy infants.

BACKGROUND

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are generally administered in infant schedules with other vaccines. Here, we describe the safety and immunogenicity of routinely recommended pediatric vaccines given with 20-valent-PCV (PCV20).

METHODS

Two phase 3, double-blind, randomized trials evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of PCV20 in infants with concomitant pediatric vaccines. The studies examined a 4-dose series (Study B7471011/NCT04382326; N = 1997) and a 3-dose series (Study B7471012/NCT04546425; N = 1207). Concomitant vaccinations included a combination vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis [DTaP] with hepatitis B and poliovirus antigens (DTaP-HBV-IPV) and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine [Hib]) in Study B7471011 or combined vaccine (DTaP, hepatitis B, poliovirus, and Hib antigens [DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib]) in Study B7471012. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and varicella vaccines were given concomitantly with the toddler dose in both studies. Immunogenicity objectives were to demonstrate noninferiority of immune responses to concomitant vaccine antigens for concomitant vaccines given with PCV20 to those given with 13-valent PCV (PCV13). Safety endpoints included systemic events and adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

Noninferiority was met for the primary objectives of percentage of participants with prespecified antibody levels to the DTaP-HBV-IPV and Hib 1 month after the third infant dose (Study B7471011) and 1 month after the toddler dose of DTaP-HBV-IPV/Hib (Study B7471012) in the PCV20 group compared with the PCV13 group. Noninferiority was also met for the geometric mean antibody levels to MMR and varicella vaccines 1 month after the toddler dose in both studies. Systemic event frequencies were similar in the PCV20 and PCV13 groups in both studies, with severity mostly reported as mild or moderate. Frequencies of reported AEs were similar between the PCV20 and PCV13 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Immune responses to routine pediatric vaccines given with PCV20 were noninferior to those when given with PCV13. PCV20 may be safely administered with other routine pediatric vaccines. (NCT04382326; NCT04546425).