Safety and immunogenicity of a combination measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccine (ProQuad).

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

A combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine (ProQuad, Merck & Co., Inc, West Point, PA) was evaluated in five clinical trials. Use of ProQuad would result in fewer injections for children and would facilitate universal immunization against all four diseases.

OBJECTIVE:

To describe the combined results obtained from the studies conducted during the clinical development program for ProQuad.

METHODS:

A total of 5833 healthy children, 12-23 months of age, and 399 healthy children, 4-6 years of age, received 1 or 2 doses of ProQuad in five controlled clinical trials. M-M-R II and VARIVAX were used as the control for most studies. Safety was evaluated for six weeks postvaccination and immunogenicity was assessed six weeks after each dose by a sensitive assay (ELISA or gpELISA).

RESULTS:

A single dose of ProQuad in 12- to 23-month-old children was shown to be as immunogenic as a single dose of M-M-R II and VARIVAX and was generally well tolerated. ProQuad can be used concomitantly with other vaccines (hepatitis B and Hoemophilus influenzoe b). A higher rate of fever was reported after 1 dose of ProQuad compared to M-M-R II and VARIVAX, but fever episodes were transient without long-term sequelae. Both a 2-dose regimen of ProQuad in 12- to 23-month-olds and use of ProQuad in place of M-M-R II at 4-6 years were shown to be immunogenic and well tolerated. The incidence of adverse experiences following a second dose of ProQuad was lower than that following the initial dose.

CONCLUSIONS:

A single dose of ProQuad is as immunogenic as M-M-R II and VARIVAX and is well tolerated in a 1- or 2-dose schedule. ProQuad should easily fit into the routine immunization schedule.

• Authors: Barbara J Kuter, Michelle L Hoffman Brown, Jonathan Hartzel, Wendy R Williams, A EvesiKaren, Steve Black, Henry Shinefield, Keith S Reisinger, Colin D Marchant, Bradley J Sullivan, Marci Thear, Stephanie Klopfer, Jin Xu, Jacqueline O Gress, Florian Schödel, Study Group for ProQuad
• Journal: Human vaccines (Hum Vaccin) 2006 Sep-Oct Vol. 2 Issue 5 Pg. 205-14 ISSN: 1554-8600 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17035730 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral
• Chickenpox Vaccine
• Measles Vaccine
• Mumps Vaccine
• Rubella Vaccine
• Vaccines, Combined

Topics

• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Chickenpox Vaccine (adverse effects, immunology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Humans
• Infant
• Logistic Models
• Measles Vaccine (adverse effects, immunology)
• Mumps Vaccine (adverse effects, immunology)
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Rubella Vaccine (adverse effects, immunology)
• Vaccines, Combined (adverse effects, immunology)