Integration of meningococcal conjugate vaccination
The invention provides a method for immunizing a patient, comprising administering multiple conjugates meningococcal capsular saccharides, wherein each conjugate comprises a diphtheria toxoid (or derivative thereof) carrier protein, and the capsular saccharide, and wherein the patient has been pre-immunized with a diphtheria toxoid (or derivative thereof).
1. A method of immunising a human patient against a disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis , comprising the step of administering to the human patient a composition that comprises (a) a conjugate of (i) the capsular saccharide of serogroup A N. meningitidis and (ii) a diphtheria toxoid or CRM197 carrier; (b) a conjugate of (i) the capsular saccharide of serogroup C N. meningitidis and (ii) a diphtheria toxoid or CRM197 carrier; (c) a conjugate of (i) the capsular saccharide of serogroup W135 N. meningitidis and (ii) a diphtheria toxoid or CRM197 carrier; and (d) a conjugate of (i) the capsular saccharide of serogroup Y N. meningitidis and (ii) a diphtheria toxoid or CRM197 carrier, wherein the patient has been pre-immunised with a conjugate of (i) a capsular saccharide of an organism other than N. meningitidis and (ii) a diphtheria toxoid or CRM197 carrier, wherein the patient was pre-immunised at least six months before the immunization with the C N. meningitidis capsular saccharide conjugates.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the organism other than the N. meningitidis is Haemophilus influenzae type B.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient has been pre-immunised with a pneumococcal capsular saccharide conjugated to a diphtheria toxoid or CRM197 carrier.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient was pre-immunised at least eight years before the method of immunization.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-immunisation took place within one year of the patient's birth.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the saccharides in the conjugates (a) to (d) are shorter than the native capsular saccharides of the corresponding serogroups of N. meningitidis.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises no more than 60 microgram of the CRM197.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a conjugated capsular saccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a conjugated capsular saccharide from Haemophilus influenzae type B.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a protein antigen from serogroup B N. meningitidis.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition includes an aluminum hydroxide and/or an aluminum phosphate adjuvant.