The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is set to conduct phase 3 clinical trials of the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine in Indonesia. The trials will involve over 2,000 participants. The M72 vaccine, developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), aims to provide adaptive immunity against the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria.
The vaccine contains the M72 antigen and the AS01E adjuvant. The M72 antigen is derived from two Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins. The AS01E adjuvant is added to enhance the immune response to the antigen.
Previous phase 2b studies showed the M72 vaccine reduced the development of active TB by 50% in HIV-negative adults with latent M.tb infection. The study involved participants in countries with a high TB burden, such as South Africa, Kenya, and Zambia. The upcoming phase 3 trials seek to further evaluate the vaccine's safety and effectiveness.
This article is based on our author's analysis of materials taken from the following resources: www.voi.id, www.who.int, and www.gatesfoundation.org.