Human cytomegalovirus vaccine
Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods for producing an antigen-specific immune response to human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) in a subject by administering mRNA vaccines.
1. A human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) immunogenic composition comprising (a) a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV gH polypeptide; (b) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV gL polypeptide; (c) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV UL128 polypeptide; (d) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV UL130 polypeptide; (e) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV UL131A polypeptide; and (f) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV gB polypeptide, wherein:
the molar ratio of (a):(f) within the immunogenic composition is about 1:1;
the molar ratio of (b):(c):(d):(e) within the immunogenic composition is about 1:1:1:1; and
the molar ratio of each of (a) and (f) to any one of (b), (c), (d) or (e) within the immunogenic composition is about 1.5:1 to 2:1.
2. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of (a):(b):(c):(d):(e):(f) is about 2:1:1:1:1:2.
3. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition is maintained as a liquid formulation until use in administration to patients.
4. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition is maintained as a lyophilized formulation until use in administration to patients.
5. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition is stable for at least three months when stored at a temperature of greater than 0° C. and less than or equal to 10° C.
6. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 5 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition is stable for at least twelve to eighteen months when stored at a temperature of greater than 0° C. and less than or equal to 10° C.
7. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition is stable for at least three months when stored at a temperature of about 5° C.
8. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition has increased stability relative to an hCMV immunogenic composition in which (a)-(f) are present in approximately equivalent masses.
9. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 8 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition has increased stability when stored for at least three months, or at least twenty-four months, at a temperature of greater than 0° C. and less than or equal to 10° C. relative to an hCMV immunogenic composition in which (a)-(f) are present in approximately equivalent masses.
10. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition has:
(i) increased pentamer expression relative to an hCMV immunogenic composition in which (a)-(f) are present in approximately equivalent masses;
(ii) increased pentamer antibody levels relative to an hCMV immunogenic composition in which (a)-(f) are present in approximately equivalent masses;
(iii) increased gB expression relative to an hCMV immunogenic composition in which (a)-(f) are present in approximately equivalent masses; and/or
(iv) increased gB antibody levels relative to an hCMV immunogenic composition in which (a)-(f) are present in approximately equivalent masses.
11. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) are formulated in at least one lipid nanoparticle in an amount sufficient to induce an antigen-specific immune response to hCMV or a hCMV antigen in a subject.
12. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) are formulated in at least one lipid nanoparticle and lyophilized in an amount sufficient to induce an antigen-specific immune response to hCMV or a hCMV antigen in a subject.
13. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) comprises a chemical modification.
14. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 13 , wherein at least 80% of the uracil in the open reading frame of mRNA polynucleotides (a)-(f) have a chemical modification selected from N1-methyl-pseudouridine or N1-ethyl-pseudouridine.
15. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 14 , wherein the chemical modification is in the carbon-5 position of the uracil.
16. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) further comprises at least one 5′ terminal cap, and wherein the 5′ terminal cap is 7mG(5′)ppp(5′)N1mpNp.
17. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 11 , wherein the lipid nanoparticle comprises a mixture of lipids comprising: an ionizable amino lipid; cholesterol; 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC); and 1,2 dimyristoyl-sn-glycerol, methoxypolyethyleneglycol (DMG-PEG).
18. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 17 , wherein the ionizable amino lipid comprises Compound I:
19. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 17 , wherein the lipid nanoparticle comprises a mixture of lipids comprising 20-60 mol % ionizable amino lipid, 25-55 mol % cholesterol, 5-25 mol % DSPC, and 0.5-15 mol % DMG-PEG.
20. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 19 , wherein the lipid nanoparticle comprises a mixture of lipids comprising 45-55 mol % ionizable amino lipid, 35-40 mol % cholesterol, 5-15 mol % DSPC, and 1-2 mol % DMG-PEG.
21. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of mRNAs (a):(b):(c):(d):(e):(f) is about 2:1:1:1:1:2 and results in 10% less lipid administered to patients compared to when an equal mass of mRNAs (a):(b):(c):(d):(e):(f) is administered.
22. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the mRNA encoding hCMV gH protein comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, the mRNA encoding hCMV gL protein comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, the mRNA encoding hCMV UL128 protein comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, the mRNA encoding hCMV UL130 protein comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, the mRNA encoding hCMV UL131A protein comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and/or the mRNA encoding hCMV gB protein comprises a nucleotide sequence having at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
23. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 22 , wherein the mRNA encoding hCMV gH protein comprises the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, the mRNA encoding hCMV gL protein comprises the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, the mRNA encoding hCMV UL128 protein comprises the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, the mRNA encoding hCMV UL130 protein comprises the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, the mRNA encoding hCMV UL131A protein comprises the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and/or the mRNA encoding hCMV gB protein comprises the nucleotide sequence of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
24. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the open reading frame encoding the hCMV gH polypeptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV gL polypeptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV UL128 polypeptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV UL130 polypeptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 9, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV UL131A polypeptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity to the of sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, and/or the open reading frame encoding the hCMV gB polypeptide comprises a sequence having at least 90% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.
25. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 24 , wherein the open reading frame encoding the hCMV gH polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 11, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV gL polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 12, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV UL128 polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 8, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV UL130 polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 9, the open reading frame encoding the hCMV UL131A polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO: 10, and/or the open reading frame encoding the hCMV gB polypeptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.
26. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein each of the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) further comprises a polyA tail.
27. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 26 , wherein the polyA tail is 100 nucleotides in length.
28. The hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 , wherein the hCMV gH polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 19, the hCMV gL polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, the hCMV UL128 polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, the hCMV UL130 polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 17, the hCMV UL131A polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, and/or the hCMV gB polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15.
29. A method for producing an antigen-specific immune response to human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) in a subject comprising administering to a human subject an effective amount of the hCMV immunogenic composition of claim 1 to thereby induce an antigen-specific immune response to hCMV or a hCMV antigen in the human subject.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the hCMV immunogenic composition is administered at a total dose of 100 μg mRNA.