The success of vaccines against varicella zoster virus (VZV) demonstrates the feasibility of high-level efficacy against clinical consequences of herpesvirus infection, but there is a need for new vaccines against others – in particular Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV). Herpesviruses use surface glycoproteins to trigger membrane fusion during cell invasion.
Glycoprotein B (gB) is conserved across the family and acts as the fusogen. Vaccines based upon viral fusion proteins protect against many other viruses, and a gB-targeting HCMV vaccine achieved partial efficacy in clinical trials.
This experience encourages development of improved gB-based antigens and formulations. There has recently been progress in stabilisation of the pre-fusion conformation of gB, which may be the more relevant structure with respect to immunological protection.
Nonetheless gB-targeting vaccines have received less attention recently than vaccines against receptor-binding glycoproteins such as EBV gH/gL and gp350, and HCMV pentamer.
Frontiers in Immunology published a clinical update in Infectious Disease on 29 May 2026.
The item focuses on Progress and prospects for herpesvirus vaccination using gB antigens.
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