Development of a Potency Assay for Nous-209, a Multivalent Neoantigens-Based Genetic Cancer Vaccine

• Published in: Vaccines (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 3; p. 325
• Main Authors: Bartolomeo, Rosa, Troise, Fulvia, Allocca, Simona, Sdruscia, Giulia, Vitale, Rosa, Bignone, Veronica, Petrone, Anna Maria, Romano, Giuseppina, D'Alise, Anna Morena, Ruzza, Valentino, Garzia, Irene, Leoni, Guido, Merone, Rossella, Lanzaro, Francesca, Colloca, Stefano, Siani, Loredana, Scarselli, Elisa, Cotugno, Gabriella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.03.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Assaying; Biochemical assays; Biological activity; Cancer; cancer vaccine; Cancer vaccines; Cells; Chemical properties; COVID-19 vaccines; Ebola virus; Expression vectors; Immunogenicity; In vivo methods and tests; Methods; Neoantigens; Polymerase chain reaction; Polypeptides; potency assessment; Product development; Proteins; Quality control; quality control testing; Regulatory agencies; Reverse transcription; RT-Q-PCR potency assay; synthetic polypeptides; Testing; Transgenes; Vaccines; Vaccinia; Vectors (Biology); viral vectors; Italy; United States > US; quality control testing; RT-Q-PCR potency assay; potency assessment; cancer vaccine; synthetic polypeptides; viral vectors
• ISSN: 2076-393X; 2076-393X
• DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12030325

Quality control testing of vaccines, including potency assessment, is critical to ensure equivalence of clinical lots. We developed a potency assay to support the clinical advancement of Nous-209, a cancer vaccine based on heterologous prime/boost administration of two multivalent viral vector products: GAd-209 and MVA-209. These consist of a mix of four Adeno (Great Ape Adenovirus; GAd) and four Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vectors respectively, each containing a different transgene encoding a synthetic polypeptide composed of antigenic peptide fragments joined one after the other. The potency assay employs quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-Q-PCR) to quantitatively measure the transcripts from the four transgenes encoded by each product in in vitro infected cells, enabling simultaneous detection. Results showcase the assay's robustness and biological relevance, as it effectively detects potency loss in one component of the mixture comparably to in vivo immunogenicity testing. This report details the assay's setup and validation, offering valuable insights for the clinical development of similar genetic vaccines, particularly those encoding synthetic polypeptides.