A study of physico-chemical interactions between Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcus group C conjugate vaccines.

BACKGROUND Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and Meningococcal group C (MenC) conjugate vaccines, which protect against otitis media, bacteremia and invasive diseases, including pneumonia and meningitis, are attractive candidates for combination, since they are both administered to infants and children. A Hib-MenC combination booster at 12 mo has recently been introduced in the U.K. OBJECTIVES To rule out the possibility for the individual vaccine components in a Hib-MenC combination to interact, rendering one or both of them less effective, this work assessed whether these two saccharide-protein conjugates, namely, Hib oligosaccharide-CRM(197) (Cross-Reacting Material 197) and MenC-CRM(197), interact in solution. Furthermore an evaluation of the size and integrity of the vaccines was also performed. METHODS HPLC Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) with UV-adsorption and refractive index detection was performed with a phosphate and non-phosphate saline buffer to characterize the size of Hib and MenC conjugates as individual components or when combined. RESULTS Hib-CRM(197) eluted significantly earlier than MenC-CRM(197) in both phosphate-saline and MOPS-saline buffers on a TSK5000 PWXL column. When combined, there was no significant change in their elution. Refractive index monitoring showed no evidence of significant free saccharide or free protein. CONCLUSIONS By size-exclusion chromatography and refractive index detection methods, there was no indication of degradation, and no evidence of significant associative interactions between Hib-CRM(197) and MenC-CRM(197) in saline-based buffers, pH 7.2.