To fight tuberculosis, better vaccination strategies are needed. Two recent publications demonstrate the positive effects of alternative mucosal routes of administration on the ensuing innate and adaptive immune responses induced by live mycobacterial vaccines.
The first publication shows that mucosal MTBVAC, a promising live attenuated M.tuberculosis vaccine candidate proven to be safe and immunogenic in humans, induces an antigen-specific immune signature in rhesus macaques shown to be associated with protection from TB infection and disease. The study furthermore shows that mucosal administration of MTBVAC is well tolerated, and yields a broader antigenic immune stimulation as compared to BCG.
The other publication shows that mucosal vaccination, with either BCG or MTBVAC, is followed by a stronger induction of trained immunity compared to standard intradermal vaccination.
Both studies demonstrate that pulmonary MTBVAC administration has the potential to enhance protective efficacy and justifies further exploration of mucosal vaccination strategies for live vaccine candidates.
Follow the links below to read the publications: