Immune responses to zoster vaccines

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2019;15(4):772-777. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1560918. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Abstract

There are two licensed herpes zoster vaccines. One is a live vaccine (ZVL) based on an attenuated varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The other is a recombinant vaccine (RZV) based on the VZV glycoprotein E (gE) combined with AS01B, a multicomponent adjuvant system. RZV is superior to ZVL in efficacy, and differs from ZVL in that protection is not diminished by the age of the vaccinee and has not waned significantly during 4 years of follow-up. Immunologic studies demonstrated higher peak memory and persistence of T cell responses in RZV compared with ZVL recipients. RZV recipients also showed development and persistence of polyfunctional T cell responses. Taken together, we conclude that the immunologic data parallel and support the higher efficacy over time of RZV compared with ZVL.

Keywords: adjuvants; herpes zoster; immune responses; older adults; recombinant zoster vaccine; vaccinology; viral; zoster vaccine live.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Herpes Zoster / prevention & control*
  • Herpes Zoster Vaccine / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Vaccination
  • Vaccines, Attenuated / immunology
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Herpes Zoster Vaccine
  • Vaccines, Attenuated
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • glycoprotein E, varicella-zoster virus

Grants and funding

MJL and AW receive research grants from Merck, Sharp & Dohme and GlaxoSmithKline (all monies to University of Colorado Denver). MJL is a consultant for Merck, Sharp & Dohme and GlaxoSmithKline and holds the patent for ZVL together with Merck, Sharp & Dohme and University of Colorado Denver.