Hepatitis B vaccination in chronic kidney disease patients: a call for novel vaccines

The protective immunization rates in response to hepatitis B vaccination in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are lower than response rates in the general population because of genetic and CKD-related factors as well as logistic problems with a proper providing of the recommended vaccination schedules. This review focuses on third-generation vaccines and adjuvanted vaccines commercially introduced in some countries, investigated in clinical trials, especially involving CKD patients or used only in the experimental studies. In order to improve the immunization rate, the use of third-generation vaccines (yeast-derived pre-S2/S HBV vaccines, mammalian cell-derived pre-S2/S HBV vaccines, mammalian cell-derived pre-S1/pre-S2/S HBV vaccines), novel adjuvants (AS04, AS02, phosphorothioate oligodeoxyribonucleotide, hemokinin-1, a polysaccharide based on delta inulin, nano-complex Hep-c, cyclic diguanylate) or immunostimulants for enhancement of immunogenicity of existing recombinant hepatitis B vaccines is tried to improve results of hepatitis B vaccination prior to dialysis commencement or already on renal replacement therapy.