Group B Streptococcus antigen (GBS antigen)

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) antigens, primarily comprising capsular polysaccharides (CPS) and surface-anchored proteins, serve as the critical targets for therapeutic and preventive interventions against Streptococcus agalactiae infections. GBS is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia, often transmitted from colonized mothers to infants during birth (Source: CDC, 2023). There are ten distinct serotypes of GBS based on CPS structure (Ia, Ib, II–IX), with serotypes Ia, Ib, II, III, and V accounting for the majority of global disease (Source: WHO, 2021). Current drug development focuses on multivalent conjugate vaccines, such as Pfizer's hexavalent candidate (GBS6), which targets the CPS of six major serotypes to induce protective opsonophagocytic antibodies in pregnant women for transplacental transfer to the fetus (Source: Pfizer, 2023). Additionally, surface proteins like the Alpha-like protein (Alp) family and the Rib protein are explored as protein-based vaccine targets due to their conserved nature across multiple serotypes (Source: MinervaX, 2024). Targeting these antigens aims to reduce the burden of maternal colonization and early-onset neonatal disease, addressing a significant unmet need in maternal and child health (Source: NIH, 2022).

Other names

Streptococcus agalactiae antigenGBS capsular polysaccharideGBS surface proteinGBS CPSGroup B Streptococcal surface antigen

Induction of protective opsonophagocytic antibodies and maternal-fetal passive immunity.