Menveo®: a novel quadrivalent meningococcal CRM197 conjugate vaccine against serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y

Meningococcal disease remains a global public health concern despite the wide availability of polysaccharide and polysaccharide protein conjugate vaccines. The latter often afford a greater duration and scope of protection compared with the former. A novel quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, Menveo (R) (MenACWY-CRM; Novartis Vacines, Bellaria-Rosia, Italy) has recently been licensed in Europe, the USA, Canada and other countries to protect adolescents and adults against disease caused by serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y. MenACWY-CRM has an immunogenicity and tolerability profile in adolescents and adults supported by an extensive clinical development program. MenACWY-CRM induced immune responses that were at least as good as those induced by Menactra (R) (MenACWY-D; Sanofi Pasteur [Swiftwater, PA, USA]), a quadrivalent meningococcal polysaccharide protein conjugate vaccine) against serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y. Immune responses were also observed in a population of subjects 56-65 years of age. Published information also shows immunogenicity in infants, toddlers and children. Tolerability outcomes were similar for MenACWY-CRM, MenACWY-D and a plain polysaccharide quadrivalent vaccine against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135 and Y. Given its potential for protecting infants and persons over 55 years of age, MenACWY-CRM offers promise to fulfil an unmet global need for preventing invasive meningococcal disease in vulnerable populations for which no vaccine is available.