Development of a thermostable nanoemulsion adjuvanted vaccine against tuberculosis using a design-of-experiments approach

BACKGROUND: Adjuvants have the potential to increase the efficacy of protein-based vaccines but need to be maintained within specific temperature and storage conditions. Lyophilization can be used to increase the thermostability of protein pharmaceuticals; however, no marketed vaccine that contains an adjuvant is currently lyophilized, and lyophilization of oil-in-water nanoemulsion adjuvants presents a specific challenge. We have previously demonstrated the feasibility of lyophilizing a candidate adjuvanted protein vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), ID93 + GLA-SE, and the subsequent improvement of thermostability; however, further development is required to prevent physicochemical changes and degradation of the TLR4 agonist glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant formulated in an oil-in-water nanoemulsion (SE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we took a systematic approach to the development of a thermostable product by first identifying compatible solution conditions and stabilizing excipients for both antigen and adjuvant. Next, we applied a design-of-experiments approach to identify stable lyophilized drug product formulations. RESULTS: We identified specific formulations that contain disaccharide or a combination of disaccharide and mannitol that can achieve substantially improved thermostability and maintain immunogenicity in a mouse model when tested in accelerated and real-time stability studies. CONCLUSION: These efforts will aid in the development of a platform formulation for use with other similar vaccines.