Immunogenicity and protective capacity of a CpG ODN adjuvanted alum adsorbed bivalent meningococcal outer membrane vesicle vaccine.

The article focuses on the development and evaluation of a bivalent outer membrane vesicle (OMV)-based vaccine targeting Neisseria meningitidis serogroups W and B, which are predominant causes of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Europe, Turkey, and the Middle East. Using OMVs derived from Turkish MenW (ST-11) and MenB (ST-32) strains, the vaccine was formulated with adjuvants Alum and/or CpG ODN and tested in a murine model. Results demonstrated that the W + B OMV vaccine elicited robust antibody responses and serum bactericidal activity (SBA) titers against MenW, MenB, and notably MenX strains, surpassing or matching those induced by licensed vaccines Nimenrix™ (MenACYW conjugate vaccine, Pfizer) and Bexsero® (4CMenB vaccine, GSK). The study suggests that this bivalent OMV vaccine could serve as a cost-effective alternative or supplement to existing meningococcal vaccines, potentially offering broader protection against multiple serogroups prevalent in the targeted regions.