Prime-Pull Immunization with a Bivalent M-Protein and Spy-CEP Peptide Vaccine Adjuvanted with CAF®01 Liposomes Induces Both Mucosal and Peripheral Protection from <i>covR/S</i> Mutant Streptococcus pyogenes
Victoria Ozberk, Simone Reynolds, Yongbao Huo, Ainslie Calcutt, Sharareh Eskandari, Jessica Dooley, Jamie‐Lee Mills, Ida Scheel Rasmussen, Jes Dietrich, Manisha Pandey, Michael F. Good
Abstract
utilizes antigenic variation as a defense mechanism to circumvent host immune responses and thus a successful vaccine needs to provide strain-transcending and multicompartment (mucosal and skin) immunity. By defining highly conserved and protective epitopes from two critical virulence factors (M-protein and Spy-CEP) and combining them with a potent immunostimulant, CAF®01, we are addressing an unmet clinical need for a mucosally and skin-active subunit vaccine. We demonstrate that prime-pull immunization (2× intramuscular injections followed by intranasal immunization) promotes high sustained antibody levels in the airway mucosa and serum and protects against URT and invasive disease.