The quadrivalent A, C, W and Y
meningococcal vaccine conjugated to nontoxic mutant of
diphtheria toxin (
MenACWY-CRM) has been licensed since 2010 for the prevention of invasive
meningococcal disease (IMD), an uncommon but life-threatening condition. Here, we summarize the experience accrued with
MenACWY-CRM during the first decade since its licensure, by providing an overview of clinical trials investigating the safety, immunogenicity and co-administration of
MenACWY-CRM with other
vaccines as well as presenting real-world evidence regarding the impact of
MenACWY-CRM vaccination on carriage and IMD incidence.
MenACWY-CRM has demonstrated an acceptable clinical safety profile across a wide range of age groups; no safety concerns have been reported in special populations, such as immunocompromised infants and toddlers, or pregnant women.
MenACWY-CRM has also been proven to be immunogenic in various age groups and geographic settings, and a booster dose has been shown to elicit strong anamnestic responses in all studied populations, irrespective of the
vaccine used for priming. With no clinically relevant
vaccine interactions reported,
MenACWY-CRM is being conveniently integrated into existing vaccination programs for various age and risk groups; this possibility of co-administration helps improving
vaccine coverage and streamlining the healthcare process of fighting preventable
infectious diseases. Vaccination of adolescents and adults has been proven to reduce nasopharyngeal carriage for serogroups C, W and Y, which is an important
element in reducing transmission. Real-world evidence indicates that
MenACWY-CRM can reduce IMD incidence even in high-exposure groups. When combined with
vaccines against serogroup B meningococci,
MenACWY-CRM can offer protection against five of the most common serogroups responsible for IMD, which is an important advantage in the continuously evolving landscape of meningococcal serogroup epidemiology.