VPM1002: A new TB prime vaccine on the horizon

Background: VPM1002 is a live vaccine against TB being developed by VPM together with Serum Institute of India. It is based on Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strain which has been applied appr. 4 billion times worldwide. As BCG is not sufficiently effective to stop the spread of tuberculosis, two modifications have been implemented in VPM1002 to improve its immunogenicity. Our clinical development, used multiparameter flow cytometry to characterize the quality of the T cell response after immunization with VPM1002 or BCG. Methods: In two Phase I open label, randomized, controlled, dose-escalat…