CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00949572Updated Jan 27, 2011

Measuring Responses to Sublingual Antigens

An interventional study of Human Papillomavirus 6,11,16,18 Vaccine Recombinant alum ads and Human Papillomavirus 6,11,16,18 Vaccine Recombinant alum ads in Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral, sponsored by St George's, University of London. Completed at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2011-01-27.

Sponsored by St George's, University of London · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
18
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years to 35 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This study is a preliminary investigation of immune responses, in the blood and in cervical \& vaginal secretions, to proteins ("antigens") taken up across the undersurface of the tongue.

Read the detailed description

Animal studies have shown that this "sublingual" surface can take up antigens and stimulate immune responses, which may have a different character to responses induced by injecting the same antigens. In previous studies of nasal and oral delivery, we used licensed vaccine preparations as pure and well-characterised model antigens safe for use in humans. We will use a licensed "HPV" vaccine as the source of antigens in this study. The quantity and character of responses (lymphocyte number and pattern of surface proteins, concentration and type of antibodies in fluids) will be measured in detail in various anatomical sites (blood, vaginal secretions) before and after delivery of antigens on three occasions. As well as using established immune assays to characterise the responses, we will develop new research assays to detect populations of lymphocytes and antibodies present in secretions. To ensure we have positive samples to include in our assays and validate new techniques, we will recruit some subjects to receive a standard intramuscular injection, as this is known to be nearly 100% reliable in inducing measurable immune responses. As this is a preliminary study we will recruit enough subjects (based on our previous experience with nasal, oral and injected delivery) to ensure we generate sufficient responses we can measure. We may be able to draw some tentative conclusions about differences in character of immune responses following sublingual or injected delivery, but it is not the intention of this initial study to formally compare these two routes. If we observe that sublingual delivery in humans can induce immune responses, we can select assays to test any differences more formally in subsequent bigger and more focused studies.

02

Conditions studied

  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral

Keywords

  • mucosal immunity
  • immunization
  • sublingual
03

In context

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

424 studies on the registry are indexed under Sexually Transmitted Diseases; 71 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 18 is below the median of 470 across 346 interventional studies indexed under Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Browse Sexually Transmitted Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

St George's, University of London is the lead sponsor of 105 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 35 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • A female adult volunteer aged between 18 and 35 years old.
  • Subjects who the investigator believes can and will comply with the requirements of the protocol.
  • Provide written informed consent following a detailed written explanation of participation in the protocol.
  • They are in good health as determined by medical history, physical examination, haematology testing, and clinical judgement before entering into the study.
  • They are available for the whole duration of the study.
  • If of childbearing potential, must have a negative pregnancy test before each immunisation.
  • They have not donated blood during 3 months prior to study entry and agree to not donate for 3 months after the end of their participation in the study.
  • They are eligible for free medical treatment

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • They have already been vaccinated with an HPV vaccine
  • They have participated in a clinical trial in the last 6 months in which they have been exposed to an investigational product (pharmaceutical product or placebo or device) or concurrent participation in another clinical research study at the time of enrolment.
  • Use of any investigational or non-registered product (drug or vaccine) within 30 days preceding the first dose of challenge agent, or planned use during the study period.
  • They are pregnant or breast-feeding.
  • They have a known or suspected ongoing cervico-vaginal disease, malignancy or abnormality discovered at time of screening.
  • They present in the samples obtained at the screening visit: positive results for HIV, HBs Ag, anti-HBc and anti-HCV antibody, a clinically significant abnormality in haematology. Normal ranges will be defined by the pathology laboratory undertaking assays.
  • They have a clinically significant acute or chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular, hepatic or renal functional abnormality, blood or neurological disorders, immune dysfunction, autoimmune diseases, diabetes (excluding history of gestational diabetes), or malignancy at the time of enrolment, as determined by medical history, physical examination or laboratory screening tests.
  • They have received any form of immunosuppressive therapy in the past 6 months.
  • They are receiving any medications via vaginal route (as this may interfere with collection of samples).
  • They have any tongue or frenulum piercings or oral jewellery that may interfere with sublingual delivery.
  • They have received blood products or immunoglobulins 120 days prior to enrolment.
  • They have thrombocytopaenia or any coagulation disorder (because bleeding may occur following an intramuscular administration in these individuals).
  • Any other medical, psychiatric or social condition, drug treatment, occupational or other responsibility that, in the judgement of the investigator, would interfere with or serve as a contradiction to adherence to the study protocol or ability to give informed consent.
  • Individuals who cannot read or speak fluent English.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
18 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Intramuscular administration

    Intramuscular injection of HPV vaccine proteins

    Biological: Human Papillomavirus 6,11,16,18 Vaccine Recombinant alum ads

  • Experimental
    Sublingual administration

    Sublingual administration of HPV vaccine proteins

    Biological: Human Papillomavirus 6,11,16,18 Vaccine Recombinant alum ads

Interventions

  • BiologicalHuman Papillomavirus 6,11,16,18 Vaccine Recombinant alum ads

    1 intramuscular dose (0.5 ml) on month 0, 1 and 4 containing approximately: Human Papillomavirus Type 6 L1 protein 20 micrograms Human Papillomavirus Type 11 L1 protein 40 micrograms Human Papillomavirus Type 16 L1 protein 40 micrograms Human Papillomavirus Type 18 L1 protein 20 micrograms

    Also known as: Gardasil

  • BiologicalHuman Papillomavirus 6,11,16,18 Vaccine Recombinant alum ads

    1 sublingual application on month 0, 1 and 4 of 0.5 ml containing approximately: Human Papillomavirus Type 6 L1 protein 20 micrograms Human Papillomavirus Type 11 L1 protein 40 micrograms Human Papillomavirus Type 16 L1 protein 40 micrograms Human Papillomavirus Type 18 L1 protein 20 micrograms

    Also known as: Gardasil

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Concentration and isotype profile of antigen-specific antibody in cervico-vaginal secretions measured by ELISA and/or LUMINEX assay

    Time frame: 0, 1, 4 and 5 months after first immunization

Secondary outcomes

  1. Concentration and isotype profile of antigen-specific antibody in serum measured by ELISA and/or LUMINEX assay

    Time frame: 0, 1, 4 & 5 months after first immunization

  2. Frequency and isotype profile of antigen-specific antibody secreting cells in blood

    Time frame: 0 and 1 week after each immunization

  3. Frequency and expression profile of mucosa-associated homing, memory and regulatory markers on antigen-specific T cells in blood in response to in vitro antigen stimulation

    Time frame: 0 and 4 weeks after each immunization

  4. Profile of cytokine secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to in vitro antigen stimulation measured by ELISA

    Time frame: 0 and 4 weeks after each immunization

07

Study locations

1 site
  • St George's Vaccine Institute, St George's University of London
    London, England SW17 0RE, United Kingdom
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Huo Z, Bissett SL, Giemza R, Beddows S, Oeser C, Lewis DJ. Systemic and mucosal immune responses to sublingual or intramuscular human papilloma virus antigens in healthy female volunteers. PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e33736. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033736. Epub 2012 Mar 16. PubMed 22438987 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 27, 2011, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00949572
Lead sponsor
St George's, University of London
Collaborators
European Union
First posted
Jul 30, 2009
Start date
Sep 2009
Primary completion
Jun 2010
Completion
Jan 2011
Last update
Jan 27, 2011

Study contacts

David JM Lewis, MD
principal investigator · St George's, University of London

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2010. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion