OKAH-193 - Varicella vaccine study in the second year of life

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    A Phase III, double blind, randomised, comparative study of the safety and immunogenicity of GSK Biologicals’ Varilrix HSA-free varicella vaccine and Varilrix™ given as a 2 dose course in the second year of life

  • IRAS ID

    185354

  • Contact name

    Saul Faust

  • Contact email

    s.faust@soton.ac.uk

  • Eudract number

    2013-003535-30

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    0 years, 9 months, 15 days

  • Research summary

    The GSK Biologicals’ varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, Varilrix™ has been licensed since 1994 and is currently available in 96 countries worldwide. Human Serum Albumin (also called HSA) is used in the process of making the chickenpox vaccine, Varilrix™.

    However, to limit as much as possible the use of animal or human derived products in the production of vaccines, HSA was removed from the production of vaccines at GSK Biologicals. The Varilrix vaccine made without HSA was first approved in 2013 and it is now licensed in a few countries, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France and Spain.

    This is a phase III; randomised, comparative study in healthy children aged 12 to 23 months. The study is being conducted to investigate the safety of the Varilrix vaccine without HSA compared with the Varilrix vaccine with HSA and understand how well the Varilrix vaccine without HSA is tolerated. This study is being conducted in 4 countries worldwide and will enrol 1220 children in total. In the UK, 400 subjects will be enrolled across four sites.

    The participant’s parent / legal guardian will be asked to review and sign the study informed consent form in order for his/her child to participate.

    This study will last about 3 months and participants would need to have 3 study visits, either at their home or in the clinic. Two vaccinations will be given by injection around 6 weeks apart in the study at Visit 1 and 2. All participants will have a physical examination at visit 1 (some also at visit 2 and 3 if applicable). A proportion of participants will have blood samples taken three times during the study. Skin rash samples will be collected from any child who develops chicken-pox like rash. The participant’s parent / legal guardian will also need to complete diary cards 42 days after each injection on how their child is feeling and any medications they are taking.

  • REC name

    North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    15/NW/0631

  • Date of REC Opinion

    21 Sep 2015

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion