Adjuvanted Conjugated Pneumococcal Vaccine (Litevax)

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common bacteria and major cause of serious infections like bloodstream infections, pneumonia, and meningitis. These infections are most common in children under 2 years old and adults over 65 years of age and dangerous for all age groups. Current vaccines, which contain parts of the bacteria, have significantly reduced the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). To broaden protection more serotypes are added to the vaccines over the years, which results in lower immune responses to the serotype-specific polysaccharides while a stronger vaccine is desired for older people and people with a weakened immune system. In addition, these complex vaccines are hardly affordable for the growing group of older adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). To address these challenges, a new potent adjuvant called 'LiteVax Adjuvant' was developed. It has been shown to improve the efficacy of vaccines, even at low doses of antigen. A lower antigen dose reduces the costs of vaccines and promotes accessibility in LMICs. By testing a standard and a low dose of a commercial pneumococcal conjugate vaccine combined with LiteVax Adjuvant in healthy volunteers, we aim to determine whether the adjuvant enhances the immune response and if a lower vaccine dose is effective. At the same time, the safety of the vaccines is being investigated.