A multivalent mRNA-LNP therapeutic vaccine with broad cross-genotype immunogenicity elicits clearance of HBV infected hepatocytes

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis B remains a major global health challenge, affecting over 254 million individuals and causing over 1 million deaths annually. Despite current antiviral therapies effectively suppressing viral replication, functional cure rates are low due to HBV-induced immune dysfunction and exhaustion. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches to achieve immune control of HBV infection are needed. Following the systematic evaluation of multiple HBV mRNA antigen designs, we developed mRNA-1965, a trivalent therapeutic mRNA vaccine encoding nanoparticle-displayed PreS1 and PreS2 domains of HBsAg to bypass the immune interference caused by HBV subviral particles, along with mutant forms of HBV Core and Polymerase. In HBV naive mice, mRNA-1965 immunization induced dose-dependent HBV-neutralizing antibodies and Th1-skewed CD4+ and IFN{gamma}+ CD8+ T cell responses to all three encoded HBV antigens. In non-human primates, mRNA-1965 elicited broad antibody and T cell responses across multiple HBV genotypes. Furthermore, vaccination with mRNA-1965 achieved a strong neutralizing antibody response and complete clearance of serum and liver HBV biomarkers in in an AAV-HBV mouse model with [~]100 IU/mL baseline HBsAg. Notably, combining mRNA-1965 with immune stimulatory co-modalities targeting PD-L1 and OX40 further enhanced therapeutic efficacy in mice with [~]1000 IU/mL baseline HBsAg. Clearance of HBV in AAV-HBV mice was associated with T cell response to mRNA-encoded antigens and with activation and differentiation of Core-specific CD8+ T cells. These findings support the potential of mRNA-1965 to promote a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B by overcoming immune dysfunction and subsequently enabling robust, functional immunity.