Complete Protection in Macaques Conferred by Purified Inactivated Zika Vaccine: Defining a Correlate of Protection

A critical global health need exists for a Zika vaccine capable of mitigating the effects of future Zika epidemics. In this study we evaluated the antibody responses and efficacy of an aluminum hydroxide adjuvanted purified inactivated Zika vaccine (PIZV) against challenge with Zika virus (ZIKV) strain PRVABC59. Indian rhesus macaques received two doses of PIZV at varying concentrations ranging from 0.016 µg − 10 µg and were subsequently challenged with ZIKV six weeks or one year following the second immunization. PIZV induced a dose-dependent immune response that was boosted by a second immunization. Complete protection against ZIKV infection was achieved with the higher PIZV doses of 0.4 µg, 2 µg, and 10 µg at 6 weeks and  with 10 ug PIZV at  1 year following vaccination. Partial protection was achieved with the lower PIZV doses of 0.016 µg and 0.08 µg. Based on these data, a neutralizing antibody response above 3.02 log10 EC50 was determined as a correlate of protection in macaques. PIZV elicited a dose-dependent neutralizing antibody response which is protective for at least 1 year following vaccination.