Research involving a collaboration between scientists at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has validated the use of a cell-based method for testing the safety of the meningitis B vaccine, Bexsero.

The studies, reported in Vaccine, suggest that the Monocyte Activation Test (MAT) offers faster, more accurate results on the levels of fever-causing substances in the vaccine – known as pyrogens - than existing methods.