A proposed vaccine for chlamydia is showing early signs of effectiveness, researchers reported last night.
It is the first chlamydia vaccine to reach a phase 1 clinical trial and has been tested on 35 women in a randomised control trial, researchers reported.
The study also indicated that the vaccine might be safe for women, according to the report in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The vaccine CTH522 targets the major outer membrane protein of the bacterium. The trial tested two versions, one with CAF01 liposomes and one with aluminium hydroxide – which stimulates antibody production.
The study found that CAF01 produced five times more antibodies than the aluminium hydroxide version.
Researcher Helene Juel, of the Statens Serum Institut, Denmark, said the researchers were now planning a phase 2 clinical trial.
She said: "Studies of antibodies in mice have found that antibodies in the vagina are the first line of defence against chlamydia infection, which suggests they are key to how effective the new vaccine may be. In our trial, significantly increased concentrations of these antibodies were found in both CTH522:CAF01 and CTH522:AH-vaccinated individuals."
Fellow researcher Professor Peter Andersen said: "Given the impact of the chlamydia epidemic on women’s health, reproductive health, infant health through vertical transmission, and increased susceptibility to other sexually transmitted diseases, a global unmet medical need exists for a vaccine against genital chlamydia."
Lancet Infectious Diseases 12 August 2019
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