Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of MV130 in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, prospective, parallel, multicenter clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and immunomodulatory effects of a sublingually administered bacterial polyvalent vaccine (BACTEK®, also known as MV130) in adult participants with moderate to severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The study was conducted by Inmunotek, S.L., and included seven sHospitals across Spain. A total of 198 participants were enrolled and randomized equally into two groups to receive either MV130 or placebo over a period of 12 months, followed by a 6-month observation phase, totaling 18 months of participation per participant. The investigational product, MV130, consisted of a glycerinated suspension containing six inactivated non-lysate bacterial species: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae. The product was administered sublingually at a dosage of two sprays (0.2 mL total) per day. The placebo formulation was identical in appearance and composition, excluding the active bacterial components. All study participants received their first dose under supervision at the clinical site and were trained for home administration. Eligible participants were between 35 and 85 years old, with a diagnosis of moderate or severe COPD according to GOLD guidelines, a history of recurrent exacerbations (≥3 moderate or ≥2 with at least one hospitalization in the past year), and a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years. Subjects were excluded if they had very severe COPD, a history of recent exacerbations or systemic corticosteroid use, concurrent immunodeficiency or serious comorbid conditions, or if they were pregnant, breastfeeding, or unwilling to use contraception during the study. The primary efficacy endpoint was the total number of COPD exacerbations during the full 18-month period. Secondary endpoints included the severity of exacerbations, time to first exacerbation, healthcare resource usage (hospitalizations, emergency room visits, unscheduled consultations), medication use, health-related quality of life (assessed using the CAT questionnaire), and a pharmacoeconomic evaluation based on healthcare expenditures. In a subset of participants, immunological parameters were also assessed to explore the immunomodulatory response. Safety analysis included all randomized participants.