title: Evaluating the immune response to combination vaccines.
abstract: Assessment of the immune responses to combination vaccines in the United States has generally been based on randomized, controlled comparative trials, with such studies designed to rule out predefined differences. In designing clinical studies of the immune response to combination products, attention should be directed toward selecting the appropriate immunologic end points and control groups. Acceptable differences in immune responses between combination and control groups should be predefined, and an adequate statistical plan should be developed. In many cases, it may be necessary to evaluate simultaneous administration of other recommended vaccines, assess schedule changes for 1 or more components of a combination, and bridge immunologic data obtained from international studies to the population of the United States. We discuss the use of immunogenicity studies to support the licensure of combination vaccines when field efficacy studies are either not possible or not required and highlight some recent experiences with combination vaccines containing Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide conjugates.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vaccines and Related Products Applications, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. BallL@cber.fda.gov
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Finn
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016667:Bacterial Capsules; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017277:Drug Approval; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D017778:Vaccines, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; C044237:Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide vaccine; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D017778:Vaccines, Combined