Tdap-1018

Tdap-1018 is an investigational tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) booster vaccine formulated with the CpG 1018 adjuvant. The addition of CpG 1018, a synthetic DNA sequence that acts as a Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, is designed to enhance immune responses compared to conventional alum-adjuvanted Tdap vaccines. In phase 1 clinical trials in adults and adolescents, Tdap-1018 demonstrated safety and tolerability profiles similar to existing vaccines such as Boostrix but induced higher or comparable antibody responses against pertussis toxin, filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin (pertussis antigens), tetanus toxoid, and diphtheria toxoid. The enhanced immunogenicity is attributed to the Th1-skewing effect of the CpG 1018 adjuvant[1][4][5][9]. The vaccine is being developed primarily for use as a booster immunization against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.