Publications by authors named "Heinz Weidenthaler"

Modified Vaccinia Ankara Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) as a smallpox and mpox vaccine has been approved in its liquid-frozen (LF) formulation in the US, Canada, and EU. A freeze-dried (FD) formulation may offer additional benefits, such as a longer shelf life and reduced dependence on cold chain storage and transport. In a phase 2 clinical trial, 651 vaccinia-naïve participants were vaccinated with two doses of MVA-BN LF or FD, 4 weeks apart.

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Article Synopsis
  • The MVA-BN vaccine was widely used during the 2022 mpox outbreak, providing significant data on its safety, especially for intradermal use.
  • A search of Bavarian Nordic's global safety database revealed 9,585 adverse events following immunization, with myocarditis and pericarditis occurring at a rate of less than 1 per 100,000 doses.
  • The study concluded that while the vaccine is safe when given subcutaneously, intradermal administration is linked to a higher frequency of syncopal events, especially after its emergency use authorization in August 2022.*
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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the safety and effectiveness of a new vaccine, MVA-BN-WEV, designed to protect against three encephalitic alphaviruses (WEEV, EEEV, VEEV) in healthy adults.
  • Forty-five participants were given two doses of the vaccine at varying strengths, monitored for side effects and immune response over six months.
  • Results showed the vaccine was generally safe with mild side effects, and it successfully triggered strong immune responses against all three viruses, especially at higher doses.
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Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant disease burden in older adults. MVA-BN-RSV is a novel poxvirus-vectored vaccine encoding internal and external RSV proteins.

Methods: In a phase 2a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, healthy participants aged 18 to 50 years received MVA-BN-RSV or placebo, then were challenged 4 weeks later with RSV-A Memphis 37b.

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Since vaccination remains the only effective protection against orthopox virus-induced diseases such as smallpox or monkeypox, the strategic use and stockpiling of these vaccines remains of significant public health importance. The approved liquid-frozen formulation of Bavarian Nordic's Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA-BN) smallpox vaccine has specific cold-chain requirements, while the freeze-dried (FD) formulation of this vaccine provides more flexibility in terms of storage conditions and shelf life. In this randomized phase 3 trial, the immunogenicity and safety of 3 consecutively manufactured lots of the FD MVA-BN vaccine was evaluated.

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Background: Although modified vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccination is approved for smallpox and monkeypox prevention, immunological persistence and booster effects remain undescribed.

Methods: Participants naive to smallpox vaccination were randomized to 1 dose MVA-BN (1×MVA, n = 181), 2 doses MVA-BN (2×MVA, n = 183), or placebo (n = 181). Participants with previous smallpox vaccination received 1 MVA-BN booster (HSPX, n = 200).

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Monkeypox, a zoonotic disease caused by an orthopoxvirus, results in a smallpox-like disease in humans. Since monkeypox in humans was initially diagnosed in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), it has spread to other regions of Africa (primarily West and Central), and cases outside Africa have emerged in recent years. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature on how monkeypox epidemiology has evolved, with particular emphasis on the number of confirmed, probable, and/or possible cases, age at presentation, mortality, and geographical spread.

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The Brighton Collaboration Viral Vector Vaccines Safety Working Group (V3SWG) was formed to evaluate the safety and characteristics of live, recombinant viral vector vaccines. The Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector system is being explored as a platform for development of multiple vaccines. This paper reviews the molecular and biological features specifically of the MVA-BN vector system, followed by a template with details on the safety and characteristics of an MVA-BN based vaccine against Zaire ebolavirus and other filovirus strains.

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Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe respiratory disease in young children and the elderly. Protective immunity is not generated after repeated infections, but vaccination may hopefully prove effective.

Methods: This phase 2 clinical study investigated a multivalent RSV vaccine (MVA-BN-RSV) designed to induce broad antibody and cellular immune responses by encoding RSV surface proteins F, G (for both A and B subtypes), and internal antigens (M2, N).

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Respiratory disease caused by RSV infection is recognized as a severe public health issue in infants, young children and elderly with no specific treatment option. Vaccination may be the most effective strategy to combat this highly infectious virus although no vaccine has been approved. The novel vaccine candidate MVA-BN-RSV encodes RSV surface proteins F and G (subtypes A, B) as well as internal proteins N and M2 in the MVA-BN viral vector backbone to provide broad protection against RSV.

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Traditional replicating smallpox vaccines are associated with serious safety concerns in the general population and are contraindicated in immunocompromised individuals. However, this very population remains at greatest risk for severe complications following viral infections, making vaccine prevention particularly relevant. MVA-BN was developed as a non-replicating smallpox vaccine that is potentially safer for people who are immunocompromised.

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Background: Many countries have stockpiled vaccines because of concerns about the reemergence of smallpox. Traditional smallpox vaccines are based on replicating vaccinia viruses; these vaccines have considerable side effects.

Methods: To evaluate the efficacy of modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) as a potential smallpox vaccine, we randomly assigned 440 participants to receive two doses of MVA followed by one dose of the established replicating-vaccinia vaccine ACAM2000 (the MVA group) or to receive one dose of ACAM2000 (the ACAM2000-only group).

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Background: Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) is a live, viral vaccine under advanced development as a non-replicating smallpox vaccine. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III clinical trial was conducted to demonstrate the humoral immunogenic equivalence of three consecutively manufactured MVA production lots, and to confirm the safety and tolerability of MVA focusing on cardiac readouts.

Methods: The trial was conducted at 34 sites in the US.

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