Vaqta

Mechanism Of Action

VAQTA has been shown to elicit antibodies to hepatitis A as measured by ELISA.

Protection from hepatitis A disease has been shown to be related to the presence of antibody. However, the lowest titer needed to confer protection has not been determined.

Clinical Studies

Efficacy Of VAQTA: The Monroe Clinical Study

The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of VAQTA were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 1037 susceptible healthy children and adolescents 2 through 16 years of age in a U.S. community with recurrent outbreaks of hepatitis A (The Monroe Efficacy Study). All of these children were Caucasian, and there were 51.5% male and 48.5% female. Each child received an intramuscular dose of VAQTA (25U) (N=519) or placebo (alum diluent) (N=518). Among those individuals who were initially seronegative (measured by a modification of the HAVAB radioimmunoassay [RIA]), seroconversion was achieved in > 99% of vaccine recipients within 4 weeks after vaccination. The onset of seroconversion following a single dose of VAQTA was shown to parallel the onset of protection against clinical hepatitis A disease.

Because of the long incubation period of the disease (approximately 20 to 50 days, or longer in children), clinical efficacy was based on confirmed cases6 of hepatitis A occurring ≥ 50 days after vaccination in order to exclude any children incubating the infection before vaccination. In subjects who were initially seronegative, the protective efficacy of a single dose of VAQTA was observed to be 100% with 21 cases of clinically confirmed hepatitis A occurring in the placebo group and none in the vaccine group (p < 0.001). The number of clinically confirmed cases of hepatitis A ≥ 30 days after vaccination were also compared. In this analysis, 28 cases of clinically confirmed hepatitis A occurred in the placebo group while none occurred in the vaccine group ≥ 30 days after vaccination. In addition, it was observed in this trial that no cases of clinically confirmed hepatitis A occurred in the vaccine group after day 16.7 Following demonstration of protection with a single dose and termination of the study, a booster dose was administered to a subset of vaccinees 6, 12, or 18 months after the primary dose.

No cases of clinically confirmed hepatitis A disease ≥ 50 days after vaccination have occurred in those vaccinees from The Monroe Efficacy Study monitored for up to 9 years.

Other Clinical Studies

The efficacy of VAQTA in other age groups was based upon immunogenicity measured 4 to 6 weeks following vaccination. VAQTA was found to be immunogenic in all age groups.

In a clinical trial, children 12 through 23 months of age were randomized to receive the first dose of VAQTA with or without M-M-R II and VARIVAX (N=617) and the second dose of VAQTA with or without Tripedia and optionally either oral poliovirus vaccine (no longer licensed in the US) or IPOL(N=555). The race distribution of study subjects who received at least one dose of VAQTA was as follows: 56.7% Caucasian; 17.5% Hispanic-American; 14.3% African-American; 7.0% Native American; 3.4% other; 0.8% Oriental; 0.2% Asian; and 0.2% Indian. The distribution of subjects by gender was 53.6% male and 46.4% female. In the analysis population, there were 471 initially seronegative children 12 through 23 months of age, who received the first dose of VAQTA with (N=237) or without (N=234) M-M-R II and VARIVAX of whom 96% (95% CI: 93.7%, 97.5%) seroconverted (defined as having an anti-HAV titer ≥ 10 mIU/mL) post dose 1 with an anti-HAV GMT of 48 mIU/mL (95% CI: 44.7, 51.6). There were 343 children in the analysis population who received the second dose of VAQTA with (N=168) or without (N=175) Tripedia and optional oral poliovirus vaccine or IPOL of whom 100% (95% CI: 99.3%, 100%) seroconverted post dose 2 with an anti-HAV GMT of 6920 mIU/mL (95% CI: 6136, 7801). Of children who received only VAQTA at both visits, 100% (n=97) seroconverted after the second dose of VAQTA.

In a clinical trial involving 653 healthy children 12 to 15 months of age, 330 were randomized to receive VAQTA, ProQuad, and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine concomitantly, and 323 were randomized to receive ProQuad and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine concomitantly followed by VAQTA 6 weeks later. The race distribution of the study subjects was as follows: 60.3% Caucasian; 21.6% African-American; 9.5% Hispanic-American; 7.2% other; 1.1% Asian/Pacific; and 0.3% Native American. The distribution of subjects by gender was 50.7% male and 49.3% female. In the analysis population, the seropositivity rate for hepatitis A antibody (defined as the percent of subjects with an anti-HAV titer ≥ 10 mIU/mL) was 100% (n=182; 95% CI: 98.0%, 100%) post dose 2 with an anti-HAV GMT of 4977 mIU/mL (95% CI: 4068, 6089) when VAQTA was given with ProQuad and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine and 99.4% (n=159, 95% CI: 96.5%, 100%) post dose 2 with an anti-HAV GMT of 6123 mIU/mL (95% CI: 4826, 7770) when VAQTA alone was given. These seropositivity rates were similar whether VAQTA was administered with or without ProQuad and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine.

In an open, multicenter, randomized study involving 617 children 15 months of age, 306 were randomized to receive VAQTA with or without PedvaxHIB and INFANRIX, and 311 were randomized to receive VAQTA with or without PedvaxHIB. The race distribution of the study subjects was as follows: 63.9% Caucasian; 17.5% Hispanic-American; 14.7% Black; 2.6% other; and 1.3% Asian. The distribution of subjects by gender was 54.0% male and 46.0% female. The seropositivity rate for hepatitis A antibody (defined as the percent of subjects with an anti-HAV titer ≥ 10 mIU/mL) 4 weeks post dose 2 was 100% (n=208, 95% CI: 98.2%, 100.0%) in those who received VAQTA concomitantly with PedvaxHIB and INFANRIX or concomitantly with PedvaxHIB. In those subjects who received VAQTA alone, the seropositivity rate for hepatitis A antibody was 100% (n=183, 95% CI: 98.0%, 100.0%), regardless of baseline hepatitis A serostatus. Overall, the anti-HAV GMT in the concomitant groups was 3616.5 mIU/mL (95% CI: 3084.5, 4240.2). The anti-HAV GMT in the nonconcomitant groups was 4712.6 mIU/mL (95% CI: 3996.8, 5556.8). Comparable responses were observed in both the initially seronegative and seropositive subjects.

In three combined clinical studies 1022 initially seronegative subjects received 2 doses of VAQTA alone or concomitantly with other vaccines. Of the seronegative subjects, 99.9% achieved an anti-HAV titer ≥ 10 mIU/mL (95% CI: 99.5%, 100%) and an anti-HAV GMT of 5392.1 mIU/mL (95% CI: 4996.5, 5819.0) 4 weeks following dose 2 of VAQTA.

Immunogenicity data were combined from eleven randomized clinical studies in children and adolescents 2 through 18 years of age who received VAQTA (25U/0.5 mL). These included administration of VAQTA in varying doses and regimens (N=404 received 25U/0.5 mL), the Monroe Efficacy Study (N=973), and comparison studies for process and formulation changes (N=1238). The race distribution of the study subjects who received at least one dose of VAQTA in these studies was as follows: 84.8% Caucasian; 10.6% American Indian; 2.3% African-American; 1.5% Hispanic-American; 0.6% other; 0.2% Oriental. The distribution of subjects by gender was 51.2% male and 48.8% female. The proportions of subjects who seroconverted 4 weeks after the first and second doses administered 6 months apart were 97% (n=1230; 95% CI: 96%, 98%) and 100% (n=1057; 95% CI: 99.5%, 100%) of subjects with anti-HAV GMTs of 43 mIU/mL (95% CI: 40, 45) and 10,077 mIU/mL (95% CI: 9394, 10,810), respectively.

Immunogenicity data were combined from five randomized clinical studies in adults 19 years of age and older who received VAQTA (50U/1-mL). One single-blind study evaluated doses of VAQTA with varying amounts of viral antigen and/or alum content in healthy adults ≥ 170 pounds and ≥ 30 years of age (N=208 adults administered 50U/1-mL dose). One open-label study evaluated VAQTA given with immune globulin or alone (N=164 adults who received VAQTA alone). A third study was single-blind and evaluated 3 different lots of VAQTA (N=1112). The fourth study was single-blind and evaluated doses of VAQTA with varying amounts of viral antigen in healthy adults ≥ 170 pounds and ≥ 30 years of age (N=159 adults administered the 50U/1-mL dose). The fifth study was an open-label study to evaluate various regimens for time of administration of the booster dose of VAQTA (6, 12, and 18 months post dose 1, N=354). The race distribution of the study subjects who received at least one dose of VAQTA in these studies was as follows: 93.2% Caucasian; 2.5% African-American; 2.1% Hispanic-American; 1.4% Oriental; 0.5% other; 0.3% American Indian. The distribution of subjects by gender was 44.8% male and 55.2% female. The proportion of subjects who seroconverted 4 weeks after the first and second doses administered 6 months apart was 95% (n=1411; 95% CI: 94%, 96%) and 99.9% (n=1244; 95% CI: 99.4%, 100%) with GMTs of 37 mIU/mL (95% CI: 35, 38) and 6013 mIU/mL (95% CI: 5592, 6467), respectively. Furthermore, at 2 weeks postvaccination, 69.2% (n=744; 95% CI: 65.7%, 72.5%) of adults seroconverted with an anti-HAV GMT of 16 mIU/mL after a single dose of VAQTA.

Timing Of Booster Dose Administration

In the Monroe Efficacy Study, children were administered a second dose of VAQTA (25U/0.5 mL) 6, 12, or 18 months following the initial dose. For subjects who received both doses of VAQTA, the GMTs and proportions of subjects who seroconverted 4 weeks after the booster dose administered 6, 12, and 18 months after the first dose are presented in Table 9.

Table 9 : Children/Adolescents from the Monroe Efficacy Study Seroconversion Rates (%) and Geometric Mean Titers (GMT) for Cohorts of Initially Seronegative Vaccinees at the Time of the Booster (25U) and 4 Weeks Later

Among the 5 randomized clinical studies in adults 19 years of age and older described in Section 14.2, there were additional data in which a booster dose of VAQTA (50U/1-mL) was administered 12 or 18 months after the first dose. For subjects in these studies who received both doses of VAQTA, the proportions who seroconverted 4 weeks after the booster dose administered 6, 12, and 18 months after the first dose were 100% of 1201 subjects, 98% of 91 subjects, and 100% of 84 subjects, respectively. GMTs in mIU/mL one month after the subjects received the booster dose at 6, 12, or 18 months after the primary dose were 5987 mIU/mL (95% CI: 5561, 6445), 4896 mIU/mL (95% CI: 3589, 6679), and 6043 mIU/mL (95% CI: 4687, 7793), respectively.

Duration Of Immune Response

In follow-up of subjects in The Monroe Efficacy Study, in children ( ≥ 2 years of age) and adolescents who received two doses (25U) of VAQTA, detectable levels of anti-HAV antibodies ( ≥ 10 mIU/mL) were present in 100% of subjects for at least 10 years postvaccination. In subjects who received VAQTA at 0 and 6 months, the GMT was 819 mIU/mL (n=175) at 2.5 to 3.5 years and 505 mIU/mL (n=174) at 5 to 6 years, and 574 mIU/mL (n=114) at 10 years postvaccination. In subjects who received VAQTA at 0 and 12 months, the GMT was 2224 mIU/mL (n=49) at 2.5 to 3.5 years, 1191 mIU/mL (n=47) at 5 to 6 years, and 1005 mIU/mL (n=36) at 10 years postvaccination. In subjects who received VAQTA at 0 and 18 months, the GMT was 2501 mIU/mL (n=53) at 2.5 to 3.5 years, 1614 mIU/mL (n=56) at 5 to 6 years, and 1507 mIU/mL (n=41) at 10 years postvaccination.

In adults that were administered VAQTA at 0 and 6 months, the hepatitis A antibody response to date has been shown to persist at least 6 years. Detectable levels of anti-HAV antibodies ( ≥ 10 mIU/mL) were present in 100% (378/378) of subjects with a GMT of 1734 mIU/mL at 1 year, 99.2% (252/254) of subjects with a GMT of 687 mIU/mL at 2 to 3 years, 99.1% (219/221) of subjects with a GMT of 605 mIU/mL at 4 years, and 99.4% (170/171) of subjects with a GMT of 684 mIU/mL at 6 years postvaccination.

The total duration of the protective effect of VAQTA in healthy vaccinees is unknown at present.

Concomitant Administration Of VAQTA and Immune Globulin

The concurrent use of VAQTA (50U) and immune globulin (IG, 0.06 mL/kg) was evaluated in an open-label, randomized clinical study involving 294 healthy adults 18 to 39 years of age. Adults were randomized to receive 2 doses of VAQTA 24 weeks apart (N=129), the first dose of VAQTA concomitant with a dose of IG followed by the second dose of VAQTA alone 24 weeks later (N=135), or IG alone (N=30). The race distribution of the study subjects who received at least one dose of VAQTA or IG in this study was as follows: 92.3% Caucasian; 4.0% Hispanic-American; 3.0% African-American; 0.3% Native American; 0.3% Asian/Pacific. The distribution of subjects by gender was 28.7% male and 71.3% female. Table 10 provides seroconversion rates and geometric mean titers (GMTs) at 4 and 24 weeks after the first dose in each treatment group and at one month after a booster dose of VAQTA (administered at 24 weeks) [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].

Table 10 : Seroconversion Rates (%) and Geometric Mean Titers (GMT) After Vaccination with VAQTA Plus IG, VAQTA Alone, and IG Alone

Interchangeability Of The Booster Dose

A randomized, double-blind clinical study in 537 healthy adults, 18 to 83 years of age, evaluated the immune response to a booster dose of VAQTA and HAVRIX given at 6 or 12 months following an initial dose of HAVRIX. Subjects were randomized to receive VAQTA (50U) as a booster dose 6 months (N=232) or 12 months (N=124) following an initial dose of HAVRIX or HAVRIX (1440 EL. U) as a booster dose 6 months (N=118) or 12 months (N=63) following an initial dose of HAVRIX. The race distribution of the study subjects who received the booster dose of VAQTA or HAVRIX in this study was as follows: 87.2% Caucasian; 8.0% African-American; 1.9% Hispanic-American; 1.3% Oriental; 0.9% Asian; 0.4% Indian; 0.4% other. The distribution of subjects by gender was 44.9% male and 55.1% female. When VAQTA was given as a booster dose following HAVRIX, the vaccine produced an adequate immune response (see Table 11) [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].

Table 11 : Seropositivity Rate, Booster Response Rate* and Geometric Mean Titer 4 Weeks Following a Booster Dose of VAQTA or HAVRIX Administered 6 to 12 Months After First Dose of HAVRIX†

Immune Response To Concomitantly Administered Vaccines

In the clinical trial in which children 12 months of age received the first dose of VAQTA concomitantly with M-M-R II and VARIVAX described in Section 14.2, rates of seroprotection to hepatitis A were similar between the two groups who received VAQTA with or without M-M-R II and VARIVAX. Measles, mumps, and rubella immune responses were tested in 241 subjects, 263 subjects, and 270 subjects, respectively. Seropositivity rates were 98.8% [95% CI: 96.4%, 99.7%] for measles, 99.6% [95% CI: 97.9%, 100%] for mumps, and 100% [95% CI: 98.6%, 100%] for rubella, which were similar to observed historical rates (seropositivity rates 99% for all three antigens, with lower bound of the 95% CI > 89%) following vaccination with a first dose of M-M-R II in this age group. Data from this study were insufficient to adequately assess the immune response to VARIVAX administered concomitantly with VAQTA. In this same study, the second dose of VAQTA at 18 months of age was given with or without Tripedia (DTaP). Seropositivity rates for diphtheria and tetanus were similar to those in historical controls. However, data from this study were insufficient to assess the pertussis response of DTaP when administered with VAQTA. Rates of seroprotection to hepatitis A were similar between the two groups who received VAQTA with or without M-M-R II and VARIVAX, and between the two groups who received VAQTA with or without DTaP.

In the clinical trial of concomitant use of VAQTA with ProQuad and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine in children 12 to 15 months of age described in Section 14.2, the antibody GMTs for S. pneumoniae types 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F 6 weeks after vaccination with pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine administered concomitantly with ProQuad and VAQTA were non-inferior as compared to GMTs observed in the group given pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine with ProQuad alone (the lower bounds of the 95% CI around the fold-difference for the 7 serotypes excluded 0.5). For the varicella component of ProQuad, in subjects with baseline antibody titers < 1.25 gpELISA units/mL, the proportion with a titer ≥ 5 gpELISA units/mL 6 weeks after their first dose of ProQuad was non-inferior (defined as -10 percentage point change) when ProQuad was administered with VAQTA and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine as compared to the proportion with a titer ≥ 5 gpELISA units/mL when ProQuad was administered with pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine alone (difference in seroprotection rate -5.1% [95% CI: -9.3, -1.4%]). Hepatitis A responses were similar when compared between the two groups who received VAQTA with or without ProQuad and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine. Seroconversion rates and antibody titers for varicella and S. pneumoniae types 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F were similar between groups at 6 weeks postvaccination.

In the clinical trial of concomitant administration of VAQTA with INFANRIX and PedvaxHIB in children 15 months of age, described in Section 14.2, when the first dose of VAQTA was administered concomitantly with either INFANRIX and PedvaxHIB or PedvaxHIB, there was no interference in immune response to hepatitis A as measured by seropositivity rates after dose 2 of VAQTA compared to administration of both doses of VAQTA alone. When dose 1 of VAQTA was administered concomitantly with either PedvaxHIB and INFANRIX or PedvaxHIB, there was no interference in immune response to Haemophilus influenzae b (as measured by the proportion of subjects who attained an anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate antibody titer > 1.0 mcg/mL at 4 weeks after vaccination), compared to subjects receiving either PedvaxHIB and INFANRIX or PedvaxHIB. When VAQTA was administered concomitantly with INFANRIX and PedvaxHIB, there was no interference in immune responses at 4 weeks after vaccination to the pertussis antigens (PT, FHA, or pertactin, as measured by GMTs) and no interference in immune responses to diphtheria toxoid or tetanus toxoid (as measured by the proportion of subjects achieving an antibody titer > 0.1 IU/mL) compared to administration of INFANRIX and PedvaxHIB.

In the clinical trial of concomitant use of VAQTA with typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccines in adults 18-54 years of age described in Section 6.1, the antibody response rates for typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever were adequate when typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccines were administered concomitantly with (N=80) and nonconcomitantly without VAQTA (N=80). The seropositivity rate for hepatitis A when VAQTA, typhoid Vi polysaccharide, and yellow fever vaccines were administered concomitantly was generally similar to when VAQTA was given alone [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].

Data are insufficient to assess the immune response to VAQTA and poliovirus vaccine when administered concomitantly.

REFERENCES

6 The clinical case definition included all of the following occurring at the same time: 1) one or more typical clinical signs or symptoms of hepatitis A (e.g., jaundice, malaise, fever ≥ 38.3°C); 2) elevation of hepatitis A IgM antibody (HAVAB-M); 3) elevation of alanine transferase (ALT) ≥ 2 times the upper limit of normal.

7 One vaccinee did not meet the pre-defined criteria for clinically confirmed hepatitis A but did have positive hepatitis A IgM and borderline liver enzyme (ALT) elevations on days 34, 50, and 58 after vaccination with mild clinical symptoms observed on days 49 and 50.

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a vaccine cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another vaccine and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

The safety of VAQTA has been evaluated in over 10,000 subjects 1 year to 85 years of age. Subjects were given one or two doses of the vaccine. The second (booster dose) was given 6 months or more after the first dose.

The most common local adverse reactions and systemic adverse events ( ≥ 15%) reported in different clinical trials across different age groups when VAQTA was administered alone or concomitantly were:

• Children - 12 through 23 months of age: injection-site pain/tenderness (37.0%), injection-site erythema (21.2%), fever (16.4% when administered alone, and 27.0% when administered concomitantly).
• Children/Adolescents - 2 through 18 years of age: injection-site pain (18.7%)
• Adults - 19 years of age and older: injection-site pain, tenderness, or soreness (67.0%), injection-site warmth (18.2%) and headache (16.1%)

Local and/or systemic allergic reactions that occurred in < 1% of over 10,000 children/adolescents or adults in clinical trials regardless of causality included: injection-site pruritus and/or rash; bronchial constriction; asthma; wheezing; edema/swelling; rash; generalized erythema; urticaria; pruritus; eye irritation/itching; dermatitis [see CONTRAINDICATIONS and WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].

Across five clinical trials, 4374 children 12 to 23 months of age received one or two 25U doses of VAQTA, including 3885 children who received 2 doses of VAQTA and 1250 children who received VAQTA concomitantly with one or more other vaccines, including Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live (M-M-R II1), Varicella Vaccine, Live (VARIVAX1), Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine, Adsorbed (Tripedia or INFANRIX), Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella Vaccine, Live (ProQuad), Pneumococcal 7-valent Conjugate Vaccine (Diphtheria CRM197 , Prevnar), or Haemophilus B Conjugate Vaccine (Meningococcal Protein Conjugate, PedvaxHIB). Overall, the race distribution of study subjects was as follows: 64.7% Caucasian; 15.7% Hispanic-American; 12.3% Black; 4.8% other; 1.4% Asian; and 1.1% Native American. The distribution of subjects by gender was 51.8% male and 48.2% female.

In an open-label clinical trial, 653 children 12 to 23 months of age were randomized to receive a first dose of VAQTA with ProQuad and Prevnar concomitantly (N=330) or a first dose of ProQuad and pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine concomitantly, followed by a first dose of VAQTA 6 weeks later (N=323). Approximately 6 months later, subjects received either the second doses of ProQuad and VAQTA concomitantly or the second doses of ProQuad and VAQTA separately. The race distribution of the study subjects was as follows: 60.3% Caucasian; 21.6% African-American; 9.5% Hispanic-American; 7.2% other; 1.1% Asian; and 0.3% Native American. The distribution of subjects by gender was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

Table 1 presents rates of solicited local reactions at the VAQTA injection site and rates of elevated temperatures ( ≥ 100.4°F and ≥ 102.2°F) that occurred within 5 days following each dose of VAQTA and elevated temperatures > 98.6°F for a total of 14 days after vaccination; occurrences of these events were recorded daily on diary cards. Table 2 presents rates of unsolicited systemic adverse events that occurred within 14 days at ≥ 5% in any group following each dose of VAQTA.

Table 1 : Incidences of Solicited Local Adverse Reactions at the VAQTA Injection Site and Elevated Temperatures Following Each Dose of VAQTA in Healthy Children 12-23 Months of Age Receiving VAQTA Alone or Concomitantly With ProQuad and PREVNAR*

Table 2 : Incidences of Unsolicited Systemic Adverse Events ≥ 5% in Any Group Following Each Dose of VAQTA in Healthy Children 12-23 Months of Age Receiving VAQTA Alone or Concomitantly With ProQuad and PREVNAR*

In Stage I of an open, multicenter, randomized study, children 15 months of age were randomized to receive the first dose of VAQTA alone (N=151) or concomitantly with PedvaxHIB and INFANRIX (N=155); another group of children 15 months of age were randomized to receive the first dose of VAQTA alone (N=152) or concomitantly with PedvaxHIB (N=159). All groups received the second dose of VAQTA alone at least 6 months following the first dose. The race distribution of Stage I study subjects was: 63.9% Caucasian; 17.5% Hispanic-American; 14.7% Black; 2.6% other; and 1.3% Asian. The distribution of subjects by gender was 54.0% male and 46.0% female. In Stage II of this study, an additional 654 children 12-17 months of age received the first dose of VAQTA alone followed by the second dose of VAQTA 6 months later. The race distribution of Stage II of the study subjects was: 66.1% Caucasian; 10.6% Hispanic-American; 16.8% Black; 4.7% other; and 1.5% Asian. The distribution of subjects by gender was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

Table 3 presents rates of solicited local reactions at the VAQTA injection-site and rates of elevated temperatures ( ≥ 100.4°F and ≥ 102.2°F) that occurred within 5 days following each dose of VAQTA and elevated temperatures > 98.6°F for a total of 14 days following each dose of VAQTA. Occurrences of these events were recorded daily on diary cards. Table 4 presents rates of unsolicited systemic adverse events that occurred within 14 days at ≥ 5% following each dose of VAQTA.

Table 3 : Incidences of Solicited Local Adverse Reactions at the VAQTA Injection Site and Elevated Temperatures Following Each Dose of VAQTA in Healthy Children 12-23 Months of Age Receiving VAQTA Alone or Concomitantly with PedvaxHIB With or Without INFANRIX (Stage I) and those Receiving VAQTA Alone at Both Doses (Stage II)

Table 4 : Incidences of Unsolicited Systemic Adverse Events ≥ 5% in Any Group Following Each Dose of VAQTA in Healthy Children 12-23 Months of Age Receiving VAQTA Alone or Concomitantly with PedvaxHIB With or Without INFANRIX (Stage I) and those Receiving VAQTA Alone at Both Doses (Stage II)

Data presented in Tables 1 through 4 on solicited local reactions, and solicited and unsolicited systemic adverse events with incidence ≥ 5% following each dose of VAQTA are representative of other clinical trials of VAQTA in children 12 through 23 months of age. Across the five studies conducted in children 12-23 months of age, ≥ 39.9% of subjects experienced local adverse reactions and ≥ 55.7% of subjects experienced systemic adverse events. The majority of local and systemic adverse events were mild to moderate in intensity.

The following additional unsolicited local adverse reactions and systemic adverse events were observed at a common frequency of ≥ 1% to < 10% in any individual clinical study. This listing includes only the adverse reactions not reported elsewhere in the label. These local adverse reactions and systemic adverse events occurred among recipients of VAQTA alone or VAQTA given concomitantly within 14 days following any dose of VAQTA across four clinical studies.

Eye disorders: Conjunctivitis

Gastrointestinal disorders: Constipation; vomiting

General disorders and administration site conditions: Injection-site bruising; injection-site ecchymosis

Infections and infestations: Otitis media; nasopharyngitis; rhinitis; viral infection; croup; pharyngitis streptococcal; laryngotracheobronchitis; viral exanthema; gastroenteritis viral; roseola

Metabolism and nutrition disorders: Anorexia

Psychiatric disorders: Insomnia; crying

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders: Cough; nasal congestion; respiratory congestion

Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Rash vesicular; measles-like/rubella-like rash; varicella-like rash; rash morbilliform

Serious Adverse Events (Children 12 through 23 Months of Age): Across the five studies conducted in subjects 12-23 months of age, 0.7% (32/4374) of subjects reported a serious adverse event following any dose of VAQTA, and 0.1% (5/4374) of subjects reported a serious adverse event judged to be vaccine related by the study investigator. The serious adverse events were collected over the period defined in each protocol (14, 28, or 42 days). Vaccine-related serious adverse events which occurred following any dose of VAQTA with or without concomitant vaccines included febrile seizure(0.05%), dehydration(0.02%), gastroenteritis (0.02%), and celluitis (0.02%).

In 11 clinical trials, 2615 healthy children 2 years through 18 years of age received at least one dose of VAQTA. These studies included administration of VAQTA in varying doses and regimens (1377 children received one or more 25U doses).The race distribution of the study subjects who received at least one dose of VAQTA in these studies was as follows: 84.7% Caucasian; 10.6% American Indian; 2.3% African-American; 1.5% Hispanic-American; 0.6% other; 0.2% Oriental. The distribution of subjects by gender was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy trial (i.e. The Monroe Efficacy Study), 1037 healthy children and adolescents 2 through 16 years of age.were randomized to receive a primary dose of 25U of VAQTA and a booster dose of VAQTA 6, 12, or 18 months later, or placebo (alum diluent). All study subjects were Caucasian: 51.5% were male and 48.5% were female Subjects were followed days 1 to 5 postvaccination for fever and local adverse reactions and days 1 to 14 for systemic adverse events. The most common adverse events/reactions were injection-site reactions, reported by 6.4% of subjects. Table 5 summarizes local adverse reactions and systemic adverse events reported in ≥ 1% of subjects. There were no significant differences in the rates of any adverse events or adverse reactions between vaccine and placebo recipients after Dose 1.

Table 5 : Local Adverse Reactions and Systemic Adverse Events ( ≥ 1%) in Healthy Children and Adolescents from the Monroe Efficacy Study

In an open-label clinical trial, 240 healthy adults 18 to 54 years of age were randomized to receive either VAQTA (50U/1-mL) with Typhim Vi3 (Typhoid Vi polysaccharide vaccine) and YF-Vax3 (yellow fever vaccine) concomitantly (N=80), typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccines concomitantly (N=80), or VAQTA alone (N=80). Approximately 6 months later, subjects who received VAQTA were administered a second dose of VAQTA. The race distribution of the study subjects who received VAQTA with or without typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccine was as follows: 78.3% Caucasian; 14.2% Oriental; 3.3% other; 2.1% African-American; 1.7% Indian; 0.4% Hispanic-American. The distribution of subjects by gender was 40.8% male and 59.2% female. Subjects were monitored for local adverse reactions and fever for 5 days and systemic adverse events for 14 days after each vaccination. In the 14 days after the first dose of VAQTA, the proportion of subjects with adverse events was similar between recipients of VAQTA given concomitantly with typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccines compared to recipients of typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccines without VAQTA.

Table 6 summarizes solicited local adverse reactions and Table 7 summarizes unsolicited systemic adverse events reported in ≥ 5% in adults who received one or two doses of VAQTA alone and for subjects who received VAQTA concomitantly with typhoid Vi polysaccharide and yellow fever vaccines. There were no solicited systemic complaints reported at a rate ≥ 5%. Fever ≥ 101°F occurred in 1.3% of subjects in each group.

Table 6 :Incidences of Solicited Local Adverse Reactions in Healthy Adults ≥ 19 Years of Age Occurring at ≥ 5% After Any Dose

Table 7 : Incidences of Unsolicited Systemic Adverse Events in Adults ≥ 19 Years of Age Occurring at ≥ 5% After Any Dose

In four clinical trials involving 1645 healthy adults 19 years of age and older who received one or more 50U doses of hepatitis A vaccine, subjects were followed for fever and local adverse reactions 1 to 5 days postvaccination and for systemic adverse events 1 to 14 days postvaccination. One single-blind study evaluated doses of VAQTA with varying amounts of viral antigen and/or alum content in healthy adults ≥ 170 pounds and ≥ 30 years of age (N=210 adults administered 50U/1-mL dose). One open-label study evaluated VAQTA given with immune globulin or alone (N=164 adults who received VAQTA alone). A third study was single-blind and evaluated 3 different lots of VAQTA (N=1112). The fourth study that was also single-blind evaluated doses of VAQTA with varying amounts of viral antigen in healthy adults ≥ 170 pounds and ≥ 30 years of age (N=159 adults administered the 50U/1-mL dose). Overall, the race distribution of the study subjects who received at least one dose of VAQTA was as follows: 94.2% Caucasian; 2.2% Black; 1.5% Hispanic; 1.5% Oriental; 0.4% other; 0.2% American Indian. 47.6% of subjects were male and 52.4% were female. The most common adverse event/reaction was injection-site pain/soreness/tenderness reported by 67.0% of subjects. Of all reported injection-site reactions 99.8% were mild (i.e., easily tolerated with no medical intervention) or moderate (i.e., minimally interfered with usual activity possibly requiring little medical intervention). Listed below in Table 8 are the local adverse reactions and systemic adverse events reported by ≥ 5% of subjects, in decreasing order of frequency within each body system.

Table 8 : Incidences of Local Adverse Reactions and Systemic Adverse Events ≥ 5% in Adults 19 Years of Age and Older

The following additional unsolicited systemic adverse events were observed among recipients of VAQTA that occurred within 14 days at a common frequency of ≥ 1% to < 10% following any dose not reported elsewhere in the label. These adverse reactions have been reported across 4 clinical studies.

Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders: Back pain; stiffness

Reproductive system and breast disorders: Menstruation disorders

Post-Marketing Experience

The following additional adverse events have been reported with use of the marketed vaccine. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to a vaccine exposure.

Blood and lymphatic disorders: Thrombocytopenia.

Nervous system disorders: Guillain-Barr� syndrome; cerebellar ataxia; encephalitis.

In a post-marketing, 60-day safety surveillance study, conducted at a large health maintenance organization in the United States, a total of 42,110 individuals ≥ 2 years of age received 1 or 2 doses of VAQTA (13,735 children/adolescents and 28,375 adult subjects). Safety was passively monitored by electronic search of the automated medical records database for emergency room and outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. Medical charts were reviewed when an event was considered to be possibly vaccine-related by the investigator. None of the serious adverse events identified were assessed as being related to vaccine by the investigator. Diarrhea/gastroenteritis, resulting in outpatient visits, was determined by the investigator to be the only vaccine-related nonserious adverse reaction in the study. There was no vaccine-related adverse reaction identified that had not been reported in earlier clinical trials with VAQTA.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Vaqta (Hepatitis A Vaccine, Inactivated)

Vaqta is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting. It is unlikely that an overdose will occur in this setting. However, if overdoes is suspected, seek emergency medical attention. 

Hepatitis A pediatric vaccine will not protect against infection with hepatitis B, C, and E, or other viruses that affect the liver. It may also not protect against hepatitis A if you are already infected with the virus, even without showing symptoms.

You should not receive this vaccine if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any vaccine containing hepatitis A, or if you are allergic to neomycin.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell your doctor if you have:

• an allergy to latex rubber; or

• a weak immune system (caused by disease or by using certain medicine).

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a minor cold. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

Vaccines may be harmful to an unborn baby and generally should not be given to a pregnant woman. However, not vaccinating the mother could be more harmful to the baby if the mother becomes infected with a disease that this vaccine could prevent. Your doctor will decide whether you should receive this vaccine, especially if you have a high risk of infection with hepatitis A.

It is not known if hepatitis A vaccine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Hepatitis A vaccine is not approved for use by anyone younger than 12 months old.

Contact your doctor if you miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Be sure to receive all recommended doses of this vaccine or you may not be fully protected against disease.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. When you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shot caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with hepatitis A is much more dangerous to your health than receiving this vaccine. However, like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• extreme drowsiness, fainting; or

• high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the vaccine).

Common side effects may include:

• low fever, general ill feeling;

• nausea, loss of appetite;

• headache; or

• swelling, tenderness, redness, warmth, or a hard lump where the shot was given.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report vaccine side effects to the US Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-822-7967.

In the U.S.

• Havrix
• Havrix Pediatric
• Vaqta
• Vaqta Pediatric

Available Dosage Forms:

• Suspension
• Solution
• Injectable

Therapeutic Class: Vaccine

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Fever more than 99.5 degrees F
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• unusual tiredness or weakness

• Body aches or pain
• chills
• congestion
• cough
• difficulty with breathing or swallowing
• dryness or soreness of the throat
• ear congestion
• headache
• hives
• hoarseness
• itching, especially of the feet or hands
• loss of voice
• nasal congestion
• reddening of the skin, especially around the ears
• runny nose
• shortness of breath
• sneezing
• sore throat
• swelling of the eyes, face, or inside of the nose
• swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
• tender, swollen glands in the neck
• tightness in the chest
• unusual tiredness or weakness (sudden and severe)
• voice changes
• wheezing

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• agitation
• back pain
• black, tarry stools
• bleeding gums
• blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• blood in the urine or stools
• blurred vision
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings in the hands, arms, feet, or legs
• clay-colored stools
• coma
• confusion
• dark urine
• diarrhea
• difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels
• difficulty with walking
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• fainting
• fast heartbeat
• feeling of discomfort
• feeling sad or depressed
• flu-like symptoms
• forgetful
• hallucinations
• inability to move the arms and legs
• increased sweating
• inflammation of the joints
• joint or muscle pain
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• loss of appetite
• muscle aches or cramps
• nausea
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rash
• red, irritated eyes
• seizures
• sensation of pins and needles
• shakiness and unsteady walk
• slurred speech
• sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
• stabbing pain
• stiff neck
• sudden numbness and weakness in the arms and legs
• swollen lymph glands
• unpleasant breath odor
• unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• vomiting of blood
• yellow eyes or skin

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Pain, redness, swelling, or lumps at the injection site
• weight loss

• Arm pain
• bleeding between periods
• change in the amount of bleeding during periods
• change in the pattern of monthly periods
• lack or loss of strength
• tenderness or warmth at the injection site
• unusual stopping of menstrual bleeding

• Change in color vision
• change in taste
• collection of blood under the skin
• deep, dark purple bruise
• difficulty seeing at night
• difficulty with moving
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• excessive muscle tone
• feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
• increased sensitivity of the eyes to sunlight
• loss of taste
• muscle tension or tightness
• sensation of spinning
• sleeplessness
• trouble with sleeping
• unable to sleep
• welts

• Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take VAQTA. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• If you have a latex allergy, talk with your doctor.
• This medicine may not protect all people who use it. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine is a vaccine with a virus that is not active. It cannot cause the disease.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this medicine while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

Applies to hepatitis a adult vaccine: intramuscular suspension

General

Hepatitis A vaccine is generally well-tolerated. Most side effects were mild, self-limiting, and of short duration (