ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT05547464Updated Mar 18, 2026

Safety and Immune Responses After Vaccination With Two Investigational RNA-based Vaccines Against Tuberculosis in BCG Vaccinated Volunteers

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of BNT164a1 and BNT164b1 in Tuberculosis, sponsored by BioNTech SE. Active, not recruiting at 8 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-18.

Sponsored by BioNTech SE · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
497
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a two-part randomized, placebo-controlled, observer-blind, safety and dose-finding Phase Ib/IIa study. This study will evaluate up to four dose levels of the BNT164 investigational vaccines (BNT164a1 and BNT164b1) to select a safe and tolerable dose in a three-dose schedule.

This study includes: Part A (Phase Ib) and Part B (Phase IIa).

Read the detailed description

In Part A, enrollment for BNT164a1 and BNT164b1 will be conducted independently and in parallel. Part A of the study will enroll participants into four dose groups per investigational medicinal product ([IMP] i.e., BNT164a1 or BNT164b1) who will be stratified by interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) status and then randomized 5:1 for BNT164 (BNT164a1 or BNT164b1):placebo. This part of the study will use a staggered dose escalation schema, i.e., enrollment into the next higher dose level is done sequentially and subject to safety data from the previous dose levels, with sentinel participants for Dose 1 in all dose groups.

Part B of this study is a safety expansion in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative participants of up to two dose groups per IMP (BNT164a1 or BNT164b1) + placebo selected based on the safety and immunogenicity data from Part A. Participants will be randomized 3:3:3:3:1 to up to four dose groups of BNT164 (BNT164a1 or BNT164b1):placebo.

In both Part A and Part B, participants will undergo a three-dose injection schedule with approximately 8 weeks between the first and second dose and approximately 16 weeks between the second and third dose.

02

Conditions studied

  • Tuberculosis

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • Prevention of tuberculosis
  • RNA Vaccine
  • Vaccine
  • TB
03

In context

Tuberculosis

1,170 studies on the registry are indexed under Tuberculosis; 175 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 497 is above the median of 150 across 820 interventional studies indexed under Tuberculosis.

Browse Tuberculosis studies →

Lead sponsor

BioNTech SE is the lead sponsor of 76 studies on the registry; 25 are open to participants now.

Of its 33 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 26 (79%) have results posted.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria (applicable to Part A and Part B unless otherwise specified):

  • Have given by signing and dating an informed consent form before initiation of any study-specific procedures.
  • Are 18 to 55 years of age inclusive (in Part A) or 18 years of age or older (in Part B) and have a over 18.5 kg/m\^2 and under 35 kg/m\^2 and weigh at least 50 kg.
  • Are willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, treatment schedule, laboratory tests, lifestyle restrictions, and other requirements of the study. This includes that they are able to understand and follow study-related instructions.
  • In Part A only: Have a reported history or evidence of (scar) of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination.
  • Are overall healthy in the clinical judgment of the investigator based on the medical history and clinical assessment (including physical examination, vital signs, clinical laboratory tests, and 12-lead [ECG]).
  • ≥12.0 g/dL (in Part A) and ≥11.0 g/dL (in Part B) for volunteers who were born female, ≥13.0 g/dL (in Part A) and ≥12.5 g/dL (in Part B) for volunteers who were born male.
  • Volunteers of (VOCBP) must have a negative serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin pregnancy test at Visit 0 and negative urine pregnancy test results before each IMP administration. Volunteers born female that are (confirmed by follicle stimulating hormone) or permanently sterilized (verified by medical records) will not be considered VOCBP.
  • VOCBP who agree to practice a highly effective form of and to require their male partners to use condoms, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 90 days after receiving their last IMP injection in this study.
  • VOCBP who agree not to donate eggs (ova, oocytes) for the purposes of assisted reproduction during study, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 90 days after receiving their last IMP injection in this study.
  • Men who are sexually active with a partner of childbearing potential and have not had a vasectomy who agree to use condoms and to ask their sexual partners to practice a highly effective form of contraception during the study, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 90 days after receiving their last IMP injection in this study.
  • Men who are willing to refrain from sperm donation, starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 90 days after receiving their last IMP injection in this study.

Exclusion Criteria (applicable to Part A and Part B unless otherwise specified):

  • Any existing condition which may affect vaccine injection and/or assessment of local reactions assessment at the injection site, e.g., tattoos, severe scars, etc.
  • Any bleeding diathesis or condition associated with prolonged bleeding that would, in the opinion of the investigator, contraindicate intramuscular injection.
  • Baseline clinical screening questionnaire positive for pulmonary TB disease or history of sputum sample positive for TB, or history of treatment for TB infection or disease.
  • Current febrile illness (body temperature ≥38.0°C) or other acute illness at Visit 0.
  • Current or history of the following medical conditions:

    1. Cardiovascular diseases, e.g., myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or arrhythmias, myocarditis, or pericarditis.
    2. Hypertension

      • If a person has been found to have elevated blood pressure or hypertension during screening or previously, exclude for blood pressure that is not well controlled. Well controlled blood pressure is defined as consistently ≤140 mm Hg systolic and ≤90 mm Hg diastolic, with or without medication, with only isolated, brief instances of higher readings, which must be ≤150 mm Hg systolic and ≤90 mm Hg diastolic at enrollment.
      • If a person does not have a history of elevated blood pressure or hypertension previously or during screening, also exclude for systolic blood pressure ≥150 mm Hg at enrollment or diastolic blood pressure ≥100 mm Hg at enrollment.
    3. Diabetes mellitus type 1 or type 2 cases requiring medication.
    4. Thyroidectomy, or thyroid disease requiring medication during the last 12 months.
    5. within 5 years of Visit 0, excluding localized basal or squamous cell cancer.
    6. Bleeding disorder diagnosed by a doctor (e.g., factor deficiency, coagulopathy, or disorder requiring special precautions), or (in Part B only) are on a medication determined by the investigator to increase the risk of bleeding.
    7. Seizure disorder: History of seizure(s) within past 3 years. Also exclude if participant has used medications in order to prevent or treat seizure(s) at any time within the past 3 years.
    8. An abnormal screening or Visit 1 ECG (i.e., showing the interval by Fridericia (QTcF) >450 ms; significant ST-T wave changes suggestive of myocardial ischemia or of an acute or indeterminate-age myocardial infarction; left ventricular hypertrophy; any non-sinus rhythm including isolated premature ventricular contractions; complete right or left bundle branch block [QRS >120 ms]; second- or third-degree atrioventricular block); or other clinically significant abnormalities on the ECG at the investigator's discretion.
  • History of syncope (fainting) in association with administration of injectable vaccines.
  • Known or suspected immunodeficiency.
  • History of severe adverse reaction associated with a vaccine and/or severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to any component of the study IMP.
  • Positive test result at Visit 0 or history of , , or .
  • History of previous administration of experimental TB vaccines, or any planned non-study vaccinations within 28 days before Dose 1 and continuously until 28 days after Dose 3 (Visit 11).

    • Note: Licensed vaccines are allowed to be given at least 28 days before or 28 days after each IMP administration.
  • Current or planned treatment with therapy, including systemic (if systemic corticosteroids are administered for ≥14 days at a dose of ≥5 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) starting at Visit 0 and continuously until 28 days after Dose 3 (Visit 11), for an disease. Intraarticular, intrabursal, or topical (skin or eyes) corticosteroids are permitted.
  • Have received/donated or plan to receive/donate blood/plasma products or immunoglobulin from 120 days before Dose 1 and continuously until 28 days after Dose 3 (Visit 11).
  • Use of any non-study IMP within 28 days before Dose 1 in this study (Visit 1) or planned receipt continuously until Visit 14 in this study (in Part A) or until the end of study visit in this study (Part B), or participate in the active treatment phase of another interventional clinical study.
  • Are subject to exclusion periods from another clinical study.
  • Are breastfeeding or are planning pregnancy within 90 days after Dose 3 in this study or to father children during the study or within 90 days after Dose 3 in this study.
  • Any screening hematology and/or blood chemistry laboratory value that meets the definition of a Grade ≥1 abnormality (in Part A) and of a Grade >1 abnormality (in Part B) at Visit 0 according to the US Food and Drug Administration toxicity grading guidance. For laboratory values for which toxicity grading guidance is not available, participant eligibility will be determined at the discretion of the investigator.

    • Note: Study participants with any stable Grade 1 abnormalities (in Part A) or Grade ≤1 abnormalities (Part B) (according to the toxicity grading scale) may be considered eligible at the discretion of the investigator. For Part A only: A "stable" Grade 1 laboratory abnormality is defined as a report of Grade 1 on an initial blood sample that remains Grade ≤1 upon repeat testing on a second sample from the same participant.
  • History of psychiatric illness, including alcohol abuse or drug addiction within 1 year before Visit 0, or a history (within the past 5 years) of substance abuse or known medical, psychological, or social conditions which, in the opinion of the investigator, could compromise their wellbeing if they participate as participants in the study, or that could prevent, limit, or confound the protocol specified assessments.
  • Are vulnerable individuals as per International Council on Harmonisation E6 definition, i.e., are individuals whose willingness to volunteer in a clinical study may be unduly influenced by the expectation, whether justified or not, of benefits associated with participation, or of a retaliatory response from senior members of a hierarchy in case of refusal to participate. This includes investigator site staff directly involved in the conduct of the study and their family members, site staff otherwise supervised by the investigator, and sponsor and sponsor delegate employees directly involved in the conduct of the study and their family members.
  • IGRA status at Visit 0 is negative or positive and enrollment for the respective IGRA-negative or IGRA-positive stratum has already been reached.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(18)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

ECG (electrocardiogram)

A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

Cancer (malignancy)

Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.

Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

QT and QTc

On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.

The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.

Hepatitis B tests

Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.

Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.

Hepatitis C tests

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.

After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

Immunosuppression

A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.

Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Autoimmune disease

A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator)
Enrollment
497 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Part A: BNT164a1

    Escalating dose levels

    Biological: BNT164a1

  • Experimental
    Part A: BNT164b1

    Escalating dose levels

    Biological: BNT164b1

  • Experimental
    Part B: BNT164a1 Dose level (DL) 1

    Biological: BNT164a1

  • Experimental
    Part B: BNT164a1 DL 2

    Biological: BNT164a1

  • Experimental
    Part B: BNT164b1 DL 1

    Biological: BNT164b1

  • Experimental
    Part B: BNT164b1 DL 2

    Biological: BNT164b1

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Isotonic sodium chloride (NaCl) solution (0.9%)

    Other: Placebo

Interventions

  • BiologicalBNT164a1

    Multi-antigen ribonucleic acid (RNA) vaccine for active immunization against tuberculosis administered as intramuscular injection

  • BiologicalBNT164b1

    Multi-antigen RNA vaccine for active immunization against tuberculosis administered as intramuscular injection

  • OtherPlacebo

    Placebo

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Frequency of solicited local reactions (pain, erythema/redness, induration/swelling) at the injection site up to 7 days after each dose

    Part A and Part B

    Time frame: Up to 7 days after each dose

  2. Frequency of solicited systemic reactions (vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, muscle pain & joint pain, chills, and fever) up to 7 days after each dose

    Part A and Part B

    Time frame: Up to 7 days after each dose

  3. Proportion of participants with at least one adverse event (AE) occurring from each dose to 28 days after each dose

    Part A and Part B

    Time frame: From each dose up to 28 days after each dose

  4. Proportion of participants with at least one unsolicited AE occurring from Dose 1 to 28 days post-Dose 3

    Part A and Part B

    Time frame: From Dose 1 up to 28 days post-Dose 3

  5. Proportion of participants with at least one serious AE or AE of special interest occurring from Dose 1 up to 168 days post-Dose 3

    Part A and Part B. In Part A, from Dose 1 up to 168 days post-Dose 3. In Part B, from Dose 1 up to 28 days post- Dose 3.

    Time frame: From Dose 1 up to 168 days post-Dose 3

  6. Number of unsolicited AEs from Dose 1 to 28 days post-Dose 3

    Part A and Part B

    Time frame: From Dose 1 up to 28 days post-Dose 3

07

Study locations

8 sites
  • Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM) (recruiting participants for Part B only)
    Manhiça, 1929, Mozambique
  • Centro de Investigação e Treino em Saúde da Polana Caniço (CISPOC) (recruiting participants for Part B only)
    Maputo, 1102, Mozambique
  • CAPRISA eThekweni Clinical Research Site
    Berea, 4001, South Africa
  • South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative SATVI
    Cape Town, 6850, South Africa
  • Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity UCT Lung Institute
    Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
  • Desmond Tutu Health Foundation - Masiphumele Research Office
    Cape Town, 7975, South Africa
  • Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI)
    Mtubatuba, 3935, South Africa
  • The Aurum Institute Tembisa CRC Clinic 4
    Tembisa, 1632, South Africa
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Agrawal N, Ates LS, Schille SA, Chaturvedi A, Vogt J, Vukovic N, Dulberger CL, Vogel AB, Diekmann J, Diken M, Sahin U. mRNA-based tuberculosis vaccines BNT164a1 and BNT164b1 are immunogenic, well tolerated and efficacious in rodent models. Nat Immunol. 2026 Jun 12. doi: 10.1038/s41590-026-02545-z. Online ahead of print. PubMed 42286358 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 18, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05547464
Lead sponsor
BioNTech SE
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 21, 2022
Start date
Jul 31, 2023
Primary completion
Mar 12, 2026
Completion
Jan 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Mar 18, 2026

Study contacts

BioNTech Responsible Person
study director · BioNTech SE

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. 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