The vaccinia virus based Sementis Copenhagen Vector vaccine against Zika and chikungunya is immunogenic in non-human primates.

The Sementis Copenhagen Vector (SCV) is a new vaccinia virus-derived, multiplication-defective, vaccine technology assessed herein in non-human primates. Indian rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) were vaccinated with a multi-pathogen recombinant SCV vaccine encoding the structural polyproteins of both Zika virus (ZIKV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV). After one vaccination, neutralising antibody responses to ZIKV and four strains of CHIKV, representative of distinct viral genotypes, were generated. A second vaccination resulted in significant boosting of neutralising antibody responses to ZIKV and CHIKV. Following challenge with ZIKV, SCV-ZIKA/CHIK-vaccinated animals showed significant reductions in viremias compared with animals that had received a control SCV vaccine. Two SCV vaccinations also generated neutralising and IgG ELISA antibody responses to vaccinia virus. These results demonstrate effective induction of immunity in non-human primates by a recombinant SCV vaccine and illustrates the utility of SCV as a multi-disease vaccine platform capable of delivering multiple large immunogens.
Competing Interests: Competing interestsA.S., N.A.P., P.E., L.L., T.H.C. and J.D.H. own Sementis shares. J.D.H.’s research group conducts collaborative research with Sementis financially supported, whole or in part, by Sementis. A.S. was an unpaid Scientific Advisory Board member of Sementis (2011–2019) and was an occasional paid consultant for Sementis. P.M.H. was the CEO/CSO of Sementis. L.L., T.H.C., K.R.D., P.E. and N.A.P. have had, and/or currently have, salary and/or project support from funds provided, whole or in part, by Sementis. The NHP study was undertaken by Southern Research and was contracted and overseen by the NIAID (NIH, USA) and constitutes an independent assessment of the SCV vaccine vector technology. K.W., R.K., J.G. and F.K. are employees of Southern Research. VACV antibody analyses on the stored serum samples were undertaken at Southern Research under a separate R&D contract paid for by Sementis. CHIKV serology was undertaken at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and was conducted independently of Sementis using serum samples provided by Southern Research. Sementis had no influence on the analysis and interpretation of the data.
(© The Author(s) 2020.)