Phase I clinical trial of a World Health Organisation birth control vaccine

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 1; no. 8598; p. 1295
• Main Authors: Jones, W R, Bradley, J, Judd, S J, Denholm, E H, Ing, R M, Mueller, U W, Powell, J, Griffin, P D, Stevens, V C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 11.06.1988
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies - immunology; Autoantibodies - immunology; Chorionic Gonadotropin - immunology; Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; Contraception, Immunologic - methods; Cross Reactions; Diphtheria Toxoid; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Peptide Fragments - immunology; Vaccines; World Health Organization; Contraception Research; Gonadotropins, Chorionic; Gonadotropins; Biology; Contraception; Hormones; Contraception, Immunological; Family Planning; Research Methodology; Research And Development; Endocrine System; Oceania; Economic Factors; Developed Countries; Clinical Research; Technology; Human Volunteers; Developing Countries; Physiology; Australia; Female Contraception
• ISSN: 0140-6736
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(88)92117-4

A birth control vaccine incorporating a synthetic peptide antigen representing the aminoacid sequence 109-145 of the C-terminal region of the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG-beta) was submitted to a phase 1 clinical trial. Thirty surgically sterilised female volunteers, divided into five equal groups for different vaccine doses, received two intramuscular injections six weeks apart. Over a six-month follow-up there were no important adverse reactions, and potentially contraceptive levels of antibodies to hCG developed in all subjects. In the highest vaccine dose group, the results gave promise of a contraceptive effect of six months' duration.