GMMA Is a Versatile Platform to Design Effective Multivalent Combination Vaccines
Francesca Micoli, Renzo Alfini, Roberta Di Benedetto, Francesca Necchi, Fabiola Schiavo, Francesca Mancini, Martina Carducci, Elena Palmieri, Cristiana Balocchi, Gianmarco Gasperini, Brunella Brunelli, Paolo Costantino, Roberto Adamo, Diego Piccioli, Allan Saul
Abstract
Technology platforms are an important strategy to facilitate the design, development and implementation of vaccines to combat high-burden diseases that are still a threat for human populations, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and to address the increasing number and global distribution of pathogens resistant to antimicrobial drugs. Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA), outer membrane vesicles derived from engineered Gram-negative bacteria, represent an attractive technology to design affordable vaccines. Here, we show that GMMA, decorated with heterologous polysaccharide or protein antigens, leads to a strong and effective antigen-specific humoral immune response in mice. Importantly, GMMA promote enhanced immunogenicity compared to traditional formulations (e.g., recombinant proteins and glycoconjugate vaccines), without negative impact to the anti-GMMA immune response. Our findings support the use of GMMA as a "plug and play" technology for the development of effective combination vaccines targeting different bugs at the same time.