New research announced Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine looked at hemagglutinin. It's the protein that allows the flu virus to attach to a human cell and make a person sick.
Posted2024-05-01T17:05:03-0400-Updated2024-05-01T17:05:03-0400
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Duke researchers look to create longer-lasting flu vaccine - WRAL News
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Global Microneedle Flu Vaccine Market
Dublin, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Microneedle Flu Vaccine Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2019-2029F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The advent of microneedle technology for flu vaccination presents a transformative approach in the pharmaceutical industry, leading to the noteworthy expansion of the Global Microneedle Flu Vaccine Market. With a standing valuation at USD 1.1 billion in 2023, the market is projected to ascend with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.89%, reaching $1.54 billion by 2029.
Microneedle technology stands at the forefront of innovative vaccination methods, offering painless and minimally invasive alternatives to conventional flu shots. This technology is designed to administer vaccines directly into the skin's immune cell-rich areas, potentially eliciting stronger and faster immune responses. The incorporation of self-administered vaccination methods addresses the growing demand for efficient healthcare delivery systems, particularly highlighted by the pandemic's exigencies.
Increasing Acceptability Among Patients
The market's growth is further propelled by the widespread acceptance of microneedle vaccines for their perceived painlessness and user-friendliness. The microneedle patches' self-applicability feature plays a crucial role in mitigating vaccine hesitancy, improving patient compliance, and streamlining healthcare processes. Particularly in regions lacking refrigeration infrastructure, the heat stability of some microneedle vaccine formulations simplifies storage and transportation, making vaccinations more accessible and contributing to global vaccine equity.
Advancements in Vaccine Technology
Recent research and investments in the segment have led to prolific advancements, driving technological innovation across microneedle designs, manufacturing processes, and vaccine formulations. This has been paramount in diversifying the usage of microneedle technology, with applications potentially extending beyond influenza to target diseases like measles, polio, and even COVID-19.
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Challenging Horizons with Regulatory Complexities
Despite the optimistic outlook on market growth, the pathway is not without its impediments. High initial costs, stringent regulatory approvals, and the demand for standardization pose significant challenges that influence market dynamics. Success in navigating these hurdles depends heavily on the ability of companies to secure substantial investment and successfully pass through stringent regulatory vetting processes.
Solid Microneedles Emerging as the Market Leader
Segmentation insights reveal a notable lead by the Solid Microneedle segment, attributed to ease of use, patient comfort, and the consequent potential for widespread acceptance. Within vaccine types, Trivalent Flu Vaccines hold a dominant market share, spotlighting an area ripe for innovation and market penetration through microneedle technology.
North America Leading Regional Market Growth
In a geographical context, North America spearheads the Global Microneedle Flu Vaccine Market, thanks to its advanced healthcare system, leading-edge research capabilities, and responsive consumer base. These attributes have anchored North America as a pivotal region for the growth and adoption of microneedle flu vaccines.
The Solid Microneedle segment has demonstrated significant growth and is expected to continue its momentum, driven by patient preference and the promise of increased efficacy.
Trivalent Flu Vaccines harness the largest segment in vaccine types, leveraging a well-established market presence to introduce microneedle variants.
Key Attributes
Report Attribute
Details
No. of Pages
185
Forecast Period
2023-2029
Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023
$1.1 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029
$1.54 Billion
Compound Annual Growth Rate
5.8%
Regions Covered
Global
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
Debiotech SA
NanoPass Technologies Limited
Becton, Dickinson and Company
FluGen, Inc.
CosMED Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.
Microdermics Inc.
TSRL Inc
Vaxess Technologies
PFIZER, INC.
MERCK & CO. INC.
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nakyio
About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
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An RNA-based vaccine approach that is effective against all virus strains and safe for infants and immunocompromised individuals.
Whether its the annual flu shot or the COVID-19 boosters, vaccines against viruses require constant tweaking and a bit of luck. Every year scientists estimate which influenza strains to include in the annual shot and COVID-19 is constantly monitored for new strains.
A new strategy toward a universal vaccine, which activates an ancient pathway of the immune system, could finally put an end to the chasing and guess work.
All vaccines work by stimulating the human immune system, but rather than pre-expose the immune system to a specific viral strain, the new shot is based on a piece of a viruss genome common to all strains. It is broadly applicable to any number of viruses, broadly effective against any variant of a virus, and safe for a broad spectrum of people, explained UC-Riverside virologist Rong Hai in a press release regarding a new universal vaccine.
Their strategy differs from traditional vaccines in that it doesnt use inactive viral proteins that provoke immune cells known as T-cells and create memory B-cells that recognize that specific protein in future infections.
Instead, the team is targeting another defense mechanism called short interfering RNAs or RNAi. A host a person, a mouse, anyone infected will produce small interfering RNAs as an immune response to viral infection. These RNAi then [inactivate the virus genes], said Shouwei Ding, lead author of the paper. This controls the copying of viral DNA or RNA, stopping the virus from assembling new particles to further the infection.
Unfortuntaly, many viruses produce proteins to counter this defence. However, in the current study, when the team mutated a virus to eliminate this counterattack, the weakened virus could behave as a vaccine, stimulating and boosting the hosts RNAi response.
To test the effectiveness, mice without T or B cells were given one injection of the new vaccine against a test virus called the Nodamura virus. The single jab protected the mice from a lethal dose of the virus for up to 90 days.
Targeting the RNAi system has the added potential benefit of working in a broader range of individuals. Newborns and immunocompromised people, who generally have underdeveloped or dysfunctional immune systems, also make RNAis, meaning the vaccine could protect groups who cannot receive traditional vaccines, which typically rely on a fully functional immune system to work.
When tested with newborn mice, the vaccine was again effective. Thats why our next step is to use this same concept to generate a flu vaccine, so infants can be protected, said Ding.
According to Hai, viruses will likely have a hard time adapting to these vaccine, meaning updated boosters will be a thing of the past. Viruses may mutate in regions not targeted by traditional vaccines, he said. However, we are targeting their whole genome with thousands of small RNAs. They cannot escape this.
The team is working on a nasal spray delviery system to make it easier to adminster, and they believe the same strategy could work against several viruses with no current vaccines, such as dengue or SARS. This should be applicable to these viruses in an easy transfer of knowledge, said Ding.
Reference: Gang Chen, et al., Live-attenuated virus vaccine defective in RNAi suppression induces rapid protection in neonatal and adult mice lacking mature B and T cells, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321170121
Feature image credit: Mathurin NAPOLY / matnapo on Unsplash
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A universal vaccine could eliminate the need to track evolving strains - Advanced Science News
Geneva (Precision Vaccinations News)
Over the past few years, significant media attention has been paid to detecting avian influenza (bird flu). While the overall human health risk is being evaluated, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently sharedclarifying data points.
During 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses arose from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses. They spread predominantly via migratory birds to many parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe.
In late 2021, these bird flu viruses crossed to North America and, in late 2022, to South America.
According to the WHOstatement on April 26, 2024, the epizootic has led to unprecedented deaths in wild birds, domestic poultry, and various mammals such as bears.
The WHO has confirmed that relatively few human infections have been reported despite the high number of A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b detections.
Since the beginning of 2021, 28 A(H5N1) detections in humans have been reported to the WHO.
Of the 28 human cases,all were sporadic infections in people exposed to A(H5N1) viruses through direct or indirect contact with infected birds, infected mammals, or contaminated environments, such as live poultry markets or other premises with infected animals.
Specifically, no human-to-human transmission has been reported in these cases.
However, active investigations are continuingto determine whether there is any.
Most A(H5N1) human cases reported in Europe and North America were asymptomatic or mild, with fatigue reported for the cases detected in the U.S.
On April 1, 2024, the Texas Department of State Health Servicesreported the first confirmed human case ofA(H5N1) virus in Texas. This person successfully recovered.
Based on available information, the WHO currently assesses the overall public health risk posed by A(H5N1) to be low. For those exposed to infected birds or animals or contaminated environments, the risk of infection is considered low to moderate.
Furthermore, investigations are ongoing to understand the risk to humans from consuming milk contaminated with the A(H5N1) virus. According to the WHO, dangerous zoonotic pathogens can be transmitted through unpasteurized milk.
As investigations continue in the U.S. and elsewhere, more information regarding 'contaminated cow milk' will be available in the coming days and weeks.
Historically, the U.S. CDChas advised against consuming un-cooked birds and mammals infected with avian influenza viruses.
The good news is that the U.S. FDA has already approved one bird flu vaccine (Audenz).
Asof April 28, 2024, the government has invested hundreds of millions in additional avian influenza vaccine candidate production. In late 2023, about 32 million bird flu vaccines were available in the U.S. National Strategic Stockpile.
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Consuming Unpasteurized Bird Flu Contaminated Cow Milk Discouraged - Precision Vaccinations
Alexandria, MN (56308) Today
Partly cloudy this morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers this afternoon. High 59F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%..
Periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Updated: May 3, 2024 @ 11:28 am
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In the first half of 2023, COVID-19 killed 42,670 people in the United States, while the flu killed about half that amount. Yet half as many people received the updated COVID booster as those who got the flu shoteven though COVID is twice as deadly as influenza.
In all, around 22% of people have received the new COVID booster, while 47% of people have had a flu vaccine. Experts said much of that COVID-shot resistance is due to the continued polarizing nature of the pandemic and of the COVID vaccine, which has been shown to reduce the risk for long COVID as well as serious acute viral infections and deaths.
"COVID shots are controversial and polarizing, whereas flu shots (for the most part) are not. The decision to get or not get a flu shot is made calmly," said Peter M. Sandman, PhD, an expert in risk communication who writes about COVID risks and our responses to them. Head over to Medscape to read the full story.
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Flu vs COVID: Stark Disparity in Vaccination and Deaths - Vision Monday
Alberta recorded the highest number of influenza deaths in 15 years, and some people are attributing the death toll to a decline in yearly immunization rates.
According to data from the provinces respiratory virus dashboard, 15,215 cases of lab-confirmed influenza cases were recorded this respiratory virus season, which started last fall. Currently, 42 people are in hospital and three people are in the intensive care unit because of the virus.
So far, 167 influenza deaths have been recorded so far during the 2023-24 flu season. One death was recorded from April 14 to April 20, according to data.
Many of the people who died were between 60 and 89 years of age.
Recent wastewater data in Alberta shows that influenza B cases have continued to rise since April 11 in the Calgary North, Calgary South and Calgary Far South regions.
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Craig Jenne, a microbiology immunology and infectious diseases professor at the University of Calgary, said the previous record was 110 deaths.
This comes as the influenza vaccination rate has declined across Alberta since the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Around 28 per cent of Albertans were vaccinated against influenza during the 2022-23 respiratory virus season, compared with 27 per cent during the 2021-22 season, 37 per cent during the 2020-21 season and 33 per cent during the 2019-20 season.
This unfortunately is the highest number of deaths since weve been recording fatalities here in Alberta, particularly during the years when we offered a public vaccine campaign, Jenne said. This is not higher by one or two cases. We are seeing a fairly dramatic increase in the lives lost due to influenza in the province unfortunately this year.
Jenne said the increase in population across Alberta is a factor, but the numbers are still concerning.
Even if were comparing to just last year or the year before, these numbers are dramatically higher. In fact, theyre about 50 per cent above the previous record, and the Calgary population has not grown 50 per cent in the last few years. It is a concerning increase in the loss of life here, he said.
Jenne said it is not uncommon to see a rise in influenza cases at this time because the respiratory virus season usually ends at the end of April.
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However, he said the Alberta government should have been more efficient in getting influenza vaccines out. He also said the province needs to try and raise the vaccination rate.
We have effective tools. The influenza vaccine is an effective tool to prevent serious outcomes and death, and it is an effective tool if there is a broad uptake, Jenne said.
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Weve heard people say that theyre young and they dont need a flu shot, but the reality is they still transmit the flu to other people, and those people are the vehicle that gives flu access to at-risk Albertans.
In an emailed statement late Monday morning, Opposition health critic Dr. Luanne Metz said the death toll is devastating, but not entirely surprising.
Metz said the reason behind the surge in deaths is that many Albertans are not getting their flu shot.
The UCP undermined vaccine awareness by tampering with Alberta Health Services fall influenza campaign last year. Sadly, were now seeing the effects of this governments ideological games when it comes to peoples health, the statement read.
Metz also accused the United Conservative government of politicizing the flu shot last year. Documents obtained by theGlobe and Mail showed the Alberta government directed Alberta Health Services to remove the words influenza and COVID from advertisements for the provinces fall immunization campaign at the same time doctors were sounding alarm bells about increasing pressure on public health teams and hospitals.
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To make matters worse, we know the ideological games are far from over. Danielle Smiths decision to appoint Gary Davidson, a doctor who disputed trusted COVID-19 hospitalization data, to lead a review of the pandemic reflects an ongoing pattern within the UCP of prioritizing fringe views over expert guidance, which deeply undermines public health efforts.
This government needs to stop evading its responsibilities and start taking public health seriously. Vaccinations save lives and improve outcomes for Albertans. The UCPs failure to comprehend this is harming Albertans.
Global News has reached out to Albertas Ministry of Health with a request for comment.
With files from Jennifer Ivanov, Global News.
2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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Albertas flu death toll highest in 15 years as vaccine uptake declines - Global News
Medical scientists are getting closer to developing a universal flu vaccine, which could work on future mutations of the virus.
Research from the Doherty Institute has identified new fragments of the influenza B virus that our immune system can attack, and could be used in the development of a long lasting vaccine.
The discovery comes as existing flu vaccination rates are significantly down on last year.
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Current influenza vaccines have to be reformulated every flu season because strains of the virus are constantly mutating. It can also be challenging to predict which strains are likely to dominate each winter.
An annual flu vaccine is recommended for all Australians aged over six months. Shutterstock
In a study published in Nature Communications on Tuesday, a team of scientists headed by Doherty Institute researchers outline their discovery of nine viral fragments of influenza B that unlike other parts of the virus do not change.
This brings the number of these discoveries to 27, offering a wider set of promising targets for a potential universal vaccine, the scientists say.
Identification of those viral fragments that are unchanged in the viruss history brings us a step closer to a broadly protective vaccine, said Professor Katherine Kedzierska, head of the Doherty Institutes Human T Cell Laboratory.
Identification of such conserved (unchanged) regions is obviously the holy grail the universal vaccine potentially would not require annual reformulation or annual vaccination, although occasional boosts might be needed.
The researchers were excited to discover that the nine viral fragments provoked a strong immune response from killer T cells, a type of immune cell that can kill cancer cells and cells infected with a virus.
They recognise small fragments of the virus, which remain unchanged throughout the viruses history, said Tejas Menon, the co-first author on the paper.
Thats why killer T cells are like ninjas of our immune response. They kill cells infected with the virus, but then after that they form immunological memory, so when the new virus emerges, even if its a mutated viral variant, those features can still be recognised and allow killer T cells to combat the next infection.
Influenza B is particularly dangerous in the young, killing and hospitalising Australian children in 2023 after cases surged part way through the season.
So far in 2024 in Australia, influenza A has accounted for most flu notifications.
There were 33,325 cases reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System between January 1 and April 7, a figure higher than in many preceding years. This could be partly to do with increased testing.
Thirty-one flu deaths have been reported.
David Tscharke, a professor of virology and immunology at the Australian National University, described the new research as a first step in the development of a universal influenza B vaccine.
Theyre not going to go back into the lab and make a vaccine thats going to come out next year or the year after, but I guess this is the proof of principle.
Tscharke also said killer T cells might only be part of the answer. He said that unlike the current generation of seasonal vaccines, which are good at stimulating antibodies in the blood and can stop the flu from taking hold, killer T cells didnt provide the same immediate protection.
What they are going to do is help your body deal with that infection more effectively, so were really talking about a vaccine that may protect from severe disease. Its not going to be a vaccine that stops infections.
An annual influenza vaccination is recommended for every Australian aged over six months, and free vaccines are available for children aged six months to five years, pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those with certain medical conditions.
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As Australias flu season kicks off, scientists make a breakthrough - Sydney Morning Herald
Calgary
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Alberta is emerging from its deadliest flu season in 15 years.
Provincial data shows167 people died of influenza during the 2023-24 flu season, eclipsing all other seasons dating back to 2009.
This season's death toll more than tripled the 2018-19 seasontotal and nearly doubled the prior year. Last season, which was the previous high, saw 123 influenza deaths.
The influenza death rate (the number of deaths for every 100,000 people) is also the worst in years.
"That is genuinely a very high death toll in a flu season. It really does stick out compared to other years," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta.
Severe cases started surging very early and vaccine uptake was sluggish from the start, she said.
"We had a combination of a really aggressive influenza season start and then kind of a relatively slow start to vaccine uptake, including in the highest-risk group, which are those who are over 75. So I think that was some really bad timing."
The main driver of this season was H1N1, a type of influenza A, that can hit young and middle-agedadults hard but ultimately remains mostdeadly for older people, according to Saxinger.
"Coupled with the fact that most people didn't get influenza vaccination as much as usual over the pandemic period, I think that people's immune systems were a little bit caught unawares by the H1N1 strain that was coming through. It is in all the vaccines," she said.
Alberta Health said a variety of factors can influence the severity of an influenza season, including the dominant strain.
It also said flu death surveillance has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Now all deaths that occur within 60 days of a lab-confirmed influenza case are followed up in a systematic way.
Public healthalso began tracking community deaths, in addition to hospitaldeaths, during the 2020-21 season. However community deaths account for a small proportion of the totals between five and seven deaths in each of the last three seasons.
Flu death data prior to 2009 is not publicly available and does not appear to have been tracked in the same way.
Alberta's respiratory virus dashboard shows25.1 per cent of Albertans received their flu shot this season, the lowest vaccination ratein the last decade.
"That is our single best tool at preventing loss of life and preventing hospitalizations. And it's clearly a tool we did not use to its maximum capacity this year," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the U of C.
"As a result we see unfortunately a record loss of life in the province."
This death toll, according to Jenne, should serve as a wake-up call for Alberta.
"I think it's data we're going to have to take a good hard look at once the flu season is over and figure out how we can better prepare ourselves or avoid this scenario in the coming seasons," he said.
"Part of that may be a hard look at our influenza campaign. We do know that flu shot numbers were down this year compared to really the last decade or more."
According to Saxinger, that preparation should includegetting shots in arms earlier.
"This was really going up very aggressively in October, and we didn't even have vaccine supply when things were really starting to warm up," she said.
"We have to make sure the whole system is primed to deploy vaccines as quickly as they're available, and really try to focus on the outreach to high-risk groups and try to start socializing the idea about the fall flu shot again."
Alberta Health said that, while overall vaccination rates have declined in recent years, immunization coverage for seniors,who have a higher risk of severe illness and death,remained relatively stable.
Provincialdata shows 59.4 per cent of Albertansage 65 and olderreceived their flu shotthis season.
Albertans over the age of 60 accounted for 131 of the 167 deaths this season.
Two children, between the ages of one and nine, also died.
Jennifer Lee is a CBC News reporter based in Calgary. She worked at CBC Toronto, Saskatoon and Regina before landing in Calgary in 2002. If you have a health or human interest story to share, let her know. Jennifer.Lee@cbc.ca
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Alberta's flu death toll hits 15-year high, sparking calls for better immunization outreach - CBC.ca
