Expert opinion on biological therapy
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Expert Opin Biol Ther · Dec 2005
ReviewTowards an improved serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis vaccine.
Meningococcal disease, presenting primarily as septicaemia and meningitis, continues to be a devastating problem around the world. Over the last century, vaccine development has been undertaken in earnest for the prevention of this disease. Polysaccharide vaccines have been available for almost 40 years, yet they are poorly immunogenic in young children who are at the highest risk. ⋯ This review details the many conventional vaccine strategies and the more recent genome-derived technological approaches being used in serogroup B vaccine development. The future prevention of serogroup B disease will rely on both outer membrane vesicle vaccines being used for serosubtype-specific outbreaks and new vaccines containing multiple other antigens. Investment by the pharmaceutical industry in preclinical research and development provides hope that an efficacious serogroup B meningococcal vaccine can be developed.