Simple and rapid technique for monitoring the quality of meningococcal polysaccharides by high performance size-exclusion chromatography.

The molecular size of meningococcal polysaccharides is an important physico-chemical parameter which correlates with immunogenicity. This paper describes the experimental conditions for high-performance size-exclusion chromatography on a PL Aquagel-OH 60 column to follow changes in the size distribution and therefore in the distribution coefficient (K(D)) of the meningococcal polysaccharides of groups A, C, Y and W-135 used to formulate anti-Neisseria meningitidis vaccines. The experimental conditions were also found to be suitable for a rapid monitoring of the quality (no group A polysaccharide depolymerization) of the tetravalent meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine.