The Lancet Infectious Disease
Apr 2012  Volume 12  Number 4  p255 – 354
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/current

Comment
Cytomegalovirus vaccine: light on the horizon
Christoph Steininger

Preview
In The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Mohamed Kharfan-Dabaja and colleagues describe a phase 2, placebo-controlled trial1 of a therapeutic cytomegalovirus DNA vaccine (TransVax; Vical, San Diego, CA, USA) for patients undergoing haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Occurrence and duration of episodes of cytomegalovirus viraemia were significantly reduced when cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients, who are at highest risk for cytomegalovirus disease, received up to four doses of the vaccine. The results of this study are exciting, particularly in view of the frustrating failures of previous trials.

Articles
A novel therapeutic cytomegalovirus DNA vaccine in allogeneic haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial
Mohamed A Kharfan-Dabaja, Michael Boeckh, Marissa B Wilck, Amelia A Langston, Alice H Chu, Mary K Wloch, Don F Guterwill, Larry R Smith, Alain P Rolland, Richard T Kenney

Preview
We show proof of concept for an immunotherapeutic cytomegalovirus vaccine (TransVax) for clinically significant viraemia in the HSCT setting. The reported safety and efficacy outcomes support further development in a phase 3 trial, notwithstanding a lack of significant reduction in the use of cytomegalovirus-specific antiviral therapy compared with placebo in this phase 2 trial.