170 - A Vaccine to Prevent Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: How Close Are We?

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

3:15 PM - 4:30 PM US ET

Location: B312-B313

CME Credits: Maximum of 1.25 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
MOC Credits: Maximum of 1.25 hours of MOC Credit
CNE Credits: Maximum of 1.25 hours of ANCC Credit
ACPE Credits: ACPE 1.25 knowledge-based contact hours of pharmacy CE
ACPE Number: JA0007082-9999-24-002-L01-P
PACE Credits: Maximum of 1 of PACE contact hours
CE Broker: Maximum of 1 CE broker credit hours

Moderator(s)

Christine Johnston, MD, MPH (she/her/hers)

Professor
Medicine
University of Washington
Seattle, WA, United States
Sallie Permar, MD, PhD (she/her/hers)

Nancy C. Paduano Professor and Chair of Pediatrics
New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, NY, United States

Faculty(s)

Craig Bierle, PhD (he/him/his)

Associate Professor
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN, United States
Megan Pesch, MD, MS (she/her/hers)

Clinical Associate Professor
University of Michigan
Mark Schleiss, MD (he/him/his)

American Legion and Auxiliary Heart Research Foundation Professor
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN, United States

Disclosure(s):

Christine Johnston, MD, MPH: AiCuris.: Advisor/Consultant; Assembly Biosciences: Advisor/Consultant; GSK: Advisor/Consultant, Grant/Research Support; Moderna, Inc.: Grant/Research Support; Oxymo: Advisor/Consultant; Pfizer, Inc.: Advisor/Consultant

Sallie R. Permar, MD, PhD: Dynavax: Advisor/Consultant, Grant/Research Support; GlaxoSmithKline Inc.: Advisor/Consultant; Imunon: Advisor/Consultant; Merck Global Health: Advisor/Consultant; Moderna, Inc.: Advisor/Consultant, Grant/Research Support; Pfeizer: Advisor/Consultant, Grant/Research Support

Craig J. Bierle, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose.

Megan H. Pesch, MD, MS: DiaSorin: Honoraria; Moderna Therapeutics: Advisor/Consultant

Mark R. Schleiss, MD: Moderna Vaccines: Grant/Research Support

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:

discuss insights gained into CMV immune responses from studies in animal models and infants with congenital CMV and how these apply to vaccine development;
explain key priorities for CMV vaccine development identified at the 2023 NIH CMV Vaccine Workshop;
identify how the National CMV Foundation has successfully advocated to move the CMV vaccine field forward.

Presentations:

3:15 PM - 3:40 PM US ET

Preventing Cytomegalovirus Infection: Progress in the Vaccine Pipeline
Speaker: Mark R. Schleiss, MD (he/him/his) – University of Minnesota
3:40 PM - 4:05 PM US ET

What Have We Learned From Animal Models of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection That Informs and Directs Human Vaccine Design?
Speaker: Craig J. Bierle, PhD (he/him/his) – University of Minnesota
4:05 PM - 4:30 PM US ET

Beyond Awareness: Advocacy Drives High Hopes for Urgent Approval and Licensure of A Vaccine for Congenital CMV
Speaker: Megan H. Pesch, MD, MS (she/her/hers) – University of Michigan