Ann Ginsberg reminds us that ‘improved TB vaccines are feasible' as she gave a quick overview of the pipeline & candidates to be discussed today:
M72/AS01E ( @gatesfoundation)
DAR-901 ( @GeiselMed)
MTBVAC ( @zendalgroup)
H56:IC31 ( @ssi_dk)
VPM1002 ( @SerumInstIndia) (1/?) https://twitter.com/GlobForumTBVax/status/1384850918223536130

Alexander Schmidt ( @gatesfoundation) provided an in-depth overview of M72/AS01E, inc. the multiple trials underway to assess the candidate & the need of candidate correlates of protection to accelerate #vaccine development. (2/?)

C. Fordham von Reyn ( @GeiselMed) next presented on the DAR-901 prevention of infection trial including upcoming trials:
Ph. 2 trial for enhanced dose-response (2021-2022)
Ph. 3 POD trial (2022-2026) (3/?)

Ingrid Murillo Jelsbak gave a roundup of the #MTBVAC trials:
Ph. 1a in adults (safer than BCG)
Ph. 1b in neonates (safer than BCG)
Ph. 2a in neonates & TB-infected &-uninfected adults (underway)
Ph. 1b/2a in adults & adolescents (underway)
Ph. 3 in neonates (TBD) (4/?)

Ingrid also shared recent data that demonstrated #MTBVAC offered significant protection compared to BCG in a model of respiratory #TB in rhesus macaques. The immune responses seen in the macaques reflect those identified in human clinical trials of MTBVAC. (5/?)

Alvaro Borges ( @ssi_dk) up next on H56:ICI31:
5 trials w/156 participants
Showed safety & immunogenicity in TB-infected & -uninfected participants
Phase 2b underway w/ major #COVID19 delays (results expected Q1 2024)
Aims for Prevention of Recurrence (POR) trial (6/?)

Sajjad Desai ( @SerumInstIndia) walks us thru the recombinant BCG VPM1002 trials:
Safe & immunogenic in Ph.1&2 trials in adults & neonates.
Ongoing Ph.3 in infants in 5 African countries (7/?)

Sajjad further showed applications for VPM1002 beyond TB, with an upcoming Ph.3: SARS-CoV-2 to assess VPM1002 in reducing hospital admissions &/or severe respiratory infectious diseases in elderly in #COVID19 pandemic in Germany (8/?)

Anastasia Koch led w/the call that public engagement is an essential science. Anastasia co-founded @Eh_woza, an NGO that produces youth-driven media to raises awareness about TB, infectious diseases, & South African biomedical research. (9/?)

In closing, Cheleka Anne-Marie Mpande spoke of how @Eh_woza engages w/community members in Khayelitsha w/representation as a central tenet. They recently ran surveys to inform Eh!Woza’s strategy, inc questions on where people access health info & their trust in #vaccines. (10/10)