If Not Now, When? Nonserotype Pneumococcal Protein Vaccines

The sudden emergence and global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have greatly accelerated the adoption of novel vaccine strategies, which otherwise would have likely languished for years. In this light, vaccines for certain other pathogens could certainly benefit from reconsideration. One such pathogen is Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), an encapsulated bacterium that can express >100 antigenically distinct serotypes. Current pneumococcal vaccines are based exclusively on capsular polysaccharide—either purified alone or conjugated to protein. Since the introduction of conjugate vaccines, the valence of pneumococcal vaccines has steadily increased, as has the associated complexity and cost of production. There are many pneumococcal proteins invariantly expressed across all serotypes, which have been shown to induce robust immune responses in animal models. These proteins could be readily produced using recombinant DNA technology or by mRNA technology currently used in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. A door may be opening to new opportunities in affordable and broadly protective vaccines.