Merck + Co., Inc.

Charlotte C Ip

William J Miller

Peter J Kniskern

Arpi Hagopian

Pamela D Burke

Dennis J Kubek

John P Hennessey

Richard L Tolman

Kathrin Ute Jansen

Stephen Marburg

Chitrananda Abeygunawardana

Paul M Keller

Joseph G Joyce

James C Cook, Iii

Leslie Cope

Qiuwei Xu

Keith Roper

Robert W Hepler

Craig T Przysiecki

Karen M Grimm

John P Hennessey Jr

A high molecular weight polysaccharide intracellular adhesin (SAE) antigen having the general structure of poly-1,6,&#x3b2;-2-amidoglucopyranoside, which is variable substituted with N-acetyl and O-succinyl substituents is described. Also, a method is given for isolating this antigen from. The SAE can be used in a vaccine, either alone, conjugated to an immunogenic protein, and/or with an immunogenic adjuvant.

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Type-specific capsular polysaccharide preparations from Streptococcus pneumoniae, having on average less than about 1000 oligosaccharide repeat units per molecule, polydispersities between 1.0 and 1.4, intrinsic viscosities between 0.6 and 3.0 dL/g, and less than 3% contamination of type-specific polysaccharide by group-specific C-polysaccharide, are produced by a novel process. The novel type specific polysaccharide products are useful in the preparation of vaccines, especially covalent conjugates comprising the novel polysaccharide linked to a T-cell stimulatory carrier protein. Vaccines comprising the novel polysaccharides are useful in the prevention of infection and of diseases associated with infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Process for making capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus

A novel conjugate vaccine comprising partially hydrolyzed, highly purified, capsular polysaccharide (Ps) from Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria (pneumococci, Pn) linked to an immunogenic carrier protein, is produced by a new process. The conjugate is useful in the prevention of pneumococcal infections. Vaccines comprising a mixture of from one to ten different pneumococcal polysaccharide-immunogenic protein (Pn-Ps-PRO) conjugates induce broadly protective recipient immune responses against the cognate pathogens from which the polysaccharide components are derived. Young children and infants younger than 2 years old, normally unable to mount a protective immune response to the Pn-Ps alone, exhibit protective immune responses upon vaccination with these Pn-Ps-PRO conjugates.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine

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Blue Bell, PA, United States of America

Charlotte C Ip