Category: Vaccine

COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths are down in B.C., but other respiratory illnesses are on the rise.

COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths are down in B.C. but other respiratory illnesses are on the increase as the holiday season approaches, says provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

The doctor who led the province through the worst of the pandemic was back at the podium on Monday encouraging more people to get their COVID and flu vaccines with the expectation that respiratory illnesses will peak in late December and early January.

At this point in time, COVID seems to be low, steady, hasnt gone away, but in the next few weeks, were going to see more influenza, said Henry.

Now is the time when we can take preventive measures to try and stop that peak.

One hundred and eighty-two people with COVID-19 infections are in hospital down from 330 in the first week of October and 17 are in critical care. Infections and deaths are also down.

Cases of the influenza strain H1N1 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are both rising, with children testing positive for RSV in high numbers. There are also other cold viruses circulating, including adenovirus and enteroviruses and para influenza.

Henry asked people to get immunized before Christmas to better protect themselves, family and especially vulnerable people over the holiday season. The updated COVID-19 shots containing the XBB strain are meant to train a persons immune system to recognize the slightly different strains that are circulating right now.

Henry also suggested that those who develop a cough, runny nose, fatigue and especially a fever stay home or postpone holiday parties or other plans.

A fever is generally an indication that you have something that may be transmissible to others, she said.

As of Sunday, more than 1.4 million influenza vaccines and almost 1.3 million updated COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., said Henry. The province has received 2.3 million doses of influenza vaccine and more than 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said B.C. is slightly ahead in COVID-19 vaccinations from the same time last year and slightly behind in flu shots. Nationally, B.C. is far ahead of other provinces, with twice the level of COVID-19 vaccinations as Ontario, he said.

We are doing better than everywhere else, but that doesnt help you if you havent been vaccinated, said Dix. Its important to take this opportunity to do so.

In some health authorities, appointment availability is at 90 per cent, he said.

Another reason for vaccination, said Dix, is a record period of demand for health-care services in B.C. There are more than 10,000 people in hospital beds in the province. Last January saw a peak of 10,280 people in hospital.

We are approximately 170 above where we were last year right now, said Dix. So if that pattern were to be maintained, we would be seeing record numbers of people in hospital.

Henry is asking people over 80 and those clinically extremely vulnerable, especially, to book your shot today.

We know that over half of people over age 65 have gotten both their vaccines, but theres still a risk out there for many, said Henry.

Henry said 2023-2024 is a transition year with infectious-disease experts not yet sure of the path the SARS-CoV-2 virus will take.

In past years, theres been a resurgence of COVID infections in the spring, while a typical influenza pattern is a peak in the winter.

Henry imagines that in future, the COVID vaccine will be offered on a periodic basis, whether that means yearly or every couple years. She noted the virus is not changing as fast as it was previously, partly due to high immunity.

The fact that its the H1N1 flu strain that is more widely circulating is good news for seniors, because the H3N2 strain which is also circulating is especially problematic for older people. However, H1N1 causes more severe illness in young people, she said.

Henry said health officials are continuing to watch for any increase in an atypical pneumonia caused by a bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Children have become ill with the bacteria in China, and there have been sporadic cases in B.C., but no increase above what we would normally see, Henry said.

Were not seeing a concerning increase in this type of pneumonia in B.C. and well continue to watch for it.

ceharnett@timescolonist.com

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While the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, research continues on the role of vaccinestheir effectiveness as well as factors that contribute to a resistance to being vaccinated, and the worldwide availability of the vaccine.

A new study co-authored by Ashely Fox and published this month in Health Affairs looks at "vaccine apartheid"the gap in access to COVID-19 vaccines between high- and low-income countries.

Fox, an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration & Policy at UAlbany's Rockefeller College, was lead author of the study, "Substantial Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Unmet Immunization Demand in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," co-written by Yongjin Choi and Leesa Lin, both of the Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The new study is among the first to quantify unmet demand for the vaccinepeople who would be willing to be vaccinated if they had access. "By shedding light on the extent to which low uptake is due to constrained supply versus low demand, this study contributes to informed decision making and the development of targeted strategies to improve vaccine access and acceptance in low- and middle-income countries," the article says.

The study is based on surveys conducted between May 2022 and January 2023, at least a year after widespread vaccine roll-out, that collected data from 15,696 respondents in 17 Western Pacific and African countries. Results indicate that only about 50% of individuals in the Africa region had received primary vaccination and only 20% had received a booster shot. Only 22% of the entire sample had received an mRNA vaccine. Strikingly, the study found that among unvaccinated respondents, 50% were willing to be vaccinated but the shots were unavailable to them.

The surveys were conducted in Cambodia, Fiji, Lao People's Democratic Republic Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu and Vietnam in the Western Pacific, and the African nations of Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda with support from the Vaccine Confidence Project. Unmet vaccine demand was highest in African countries, the study found, and lowest among the Western Pacific region.

The highest level of unmet demand was in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at 43%, followed by Nigeria at 39% and Cameroon at 36%. Uganda and South Africa showed unmet demand of 11% in the population. In the Western Pacific countries surveyed, unmet demand was lower than 7%.

This correlates with the fact that as of May 2023, African countries had the lowest COVID-19 vaccine uptake, at 60 doses per 100,000 people. In contrast, Australia's rate was 250 doses per 100,000similar to South America and the European Union.

"Vaccine hesitancy and availability are much more interconnected than people often realize," Fox said. "Low-income countries, especially in Africa, continue to experience constrained access to vaccines, including the more efficacious mRNA vaccines. People also have concerns about available vaccines. We need more research to understand both the supply and demand side factors that affect people's willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19, and their continued willingness to vaccinate again."

The article concludes that countries need targeted efforts to increase vaccination rates.

"Policy efforts should address barriers to vaccine access, ensure accessibility and distribution of mRNA vaccines, and aim to overcome vaccine hesitancyall critical factors in reducing unmet immunization demand and achieving higher vaccination rates across regions."

More information: Ashley M. Fox et al, Substantial Disparities In COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake And Unmet Immunization Demand In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Health Affairs (2023). DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00729

Journal information: Health Affairs

Excerpt from:

'Vaccine apartheid' caused by gap in access between richer and poorer countries - Medical Xpress

SciCheck Digest

People who receive some vaccines that use live weakened viruses to stimulate a strong and lasting immune response sometimes release small amounts of those viruses outside of their bodies. Thats expected, and it doesnt mean that they put vulnerable populations in harms way, as a post misleadingly suggests.

Getting vaccinated is the safest way to get protection against certain diseases that can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Multiple vaccines are recommended and especially important in children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems and their close contacts, given that these groups are more susceptible to, and could suffer from complications from, preventable diseases.

Differenttypes of vaccineswork in different ways, but they all prompt the body to mount an immune response against a specific pathogen, which provides protection against a particular disease without a person having to get sick.Live attenuated vaccinescontain a small amount of live virus that has been weakened. The live attenuated vaccinesroutinely recommendedin the U.S. are the measles, mumps andrubella, or MMR vaccine; the varicella, or chickenpox, vaccine; therotavirusvaccine; and theintranasal influenzavaccine.

With live attenuated vaccines, since the virus is weakened but not inactivated or killed, the virus can still replicate in the body, although much less so than a natural virus. This creates very strong and long-lasting immune protection, similar to the immunity stimulated by natural infection. It also means the weakened virus could be released or discharged outside the body, and, if there is a large amount of it, potentially transmitted to others. But that doesnt mean that the vaccines are harmful or shouldnt be used.

When a pathogen replicates in the body, it can be shed in respiratory secretions or in stool. We call that shedding,Benjamin Lopman, professor of epidemiology and environmental health at Emory Universitys Rollins School of Public Health, told us in an email. In some instances, it is possible for shed LAVs to be transmitted to other persons. However, since LAVs are safe, this generally does not present a problem, he said, referring to live attenuated vaccines.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, live attenuated vaccines usually do not cause disease such as that caused by the wild form of the organism. When a live, attenuated vaccine does cause disease, it is usually much milder than the natural disease and is considered an adverse reaction to the vaccine.

But a post published on Instagram gives the misleading impression that live attenuated vaccines are not safe and put vulnerable groups in harms way.

Arentsupposed to protect the vulnerable people from disease?can actually spread disease. Maybe youve heard of it, its known as shedding, reads the caption of theInstagram post, which includes six slides about shedding and vaccines.

The post continues by quoting a line from anarticleon live attenuated vaccines published in 2010 in Nature Biotechnology.

Because LAVs (live attenuated viruses) are shed from, they sometimes present a risk to un-individuals with impaired immunity, reads the post, which incorrectly says the article was published by the National Institutes of Health.

The post continues: So young children, pregnant women, immune compromised, the elderly..that group of individuals we are told as those who choose not the, that we are putting in harms way.

Raul Andino-Pavlovsky, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California, San Francisco, and one of the authors of the article cited in the Instagram post, told us in an email that not all live attenuated vaccines can be transmitted. Most LAVs are not transmissible, he wrote.

Moreover, he said, it is crucial to emphasize that LAV viruses are attenuated in their pathogenicity. This means they replicate less effectively and do not infect tissues and organs where they cause disease.

In other words, since the weakened virus reproduces less effectively than the naturally occurring virus would, less virus is shed, which makes it harder for someone else to get infected. And again, since the virus has been debilitated, its not able to produce symptoms in most people.

For this reason, in most cases, even people living with someone who is immunocompromised can and in fact should be vaccinated, including with live attenuated vaccines.

Children in the homes of immune-compromised people can safely receive all routinely recommended vaccines. Adults in the home or in close contact with immune-compromised individuals should also be up to date on all routinely recommended vaccines, so they do not inadvertently expose the vulnerable person to vaccine-preventable diseases, as the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Centerexplains.

Being a household contact of a pregnant woman or immunosuppressed person is usually not a contraindication to vaccination, the CDCs Pink Book, which is the agencysguideto vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, says. In fact, it is critical that healthy household contacts of pregnant women and immunosuppressed persons be vaccinated. Vaccination of healthy contacts reduces the chance that pregnant women and immunosuppressed persons will be exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases.

Of the vaccines given in the U.S., the only vaccine that should not be given to people who are in close contact with immunocompromised people is the smallpox vaccine, which is only given in select circumstances. There are also some additional precautions that can be taken in a few other instances, as well explain below. But the general notion that people should avoid vaccination because of shedding concerns is incorrect.

The fact that some live attenuated vaccines shed is generally not cause for alarm.

Shedding is common after receiving a live attenuated influenza vaccine,according to the CDC, especially among younger people. Shedding is not the same as transmission, since transmission requires a larger amount of virus. Transmission of shed influenza vaccine viruses from vaccinated to unvaccinated people has been documented, according to the agency, but has not been reported to be associated with serious illness, theCDC explains.Close contacts of immunocompromised people can receive the live attenuated influenza vaccine, unless the person with immunocompetence is in a protective environment, according to the agency.

In a 2006 clinicalstudyamong 197 children, ages 9 months to 3 years, who received a vaccine or placebo, 80% of the vaccine recipients shed at least one vaccine strain, and one transmission was documented. The probability of transmission was calculated at 0.58%. No clinically significant illness occurred among children who received vaccine or placebo or in the child to whom the vaccine virus was transmitted, according to the study.

With the chickenpox, or varicella, vaccine, themanufacturer saystransmission of the vaccine virus may occur rarely between healthy vaccinees who develop a varicella-like rash and healthy susceptible contacts. It adds that according to findings from a placebo-controlled trial with 416 placebo recipients who were household contacts of 445 vaccine recipients, if vaccine virus transmission occurred, it did so at a very low rate and possibly without recognizable clinical disease in contacts. A person who gets vaccinated against chickenpox and lives with someone who is immunocompromised does not need to take any extra precautions, the CDC says, unless they develop a rash. If that happens, the vaccinated person should stay away from the vulnerable person until the rash resolves.

Similarly, shedding and transmission have been detected with the rotavirus vaccine. According to themanufacturer, in the safety and efficacy trial, shedding in the stool was detected in 32 of 360 vaccine recipients after dose one, but in none of 249 vaccine recipients after dose two. Transmission was not evaluated in phase 3 studies, but has been observed.

For this reason, the CDC recommends that everyone in a household with an immunocompromised person take particular care to wash their hands after changing the diaper of an infant who received rotavirus vaccine. But again, this is not a good reason to not vaccinate a child in the first place.

As a 2008 review on viral shedding from rotavirus vaccines put it, [s]ince the risk of vaccine transmission and subsequent vaccine-derived disease with the current vaccines is much less than the risk of wildtype rotavirus disease in immunocompromised contacts, vaccination should be encouraged.

The main live vaccine for which viral shedding can be a real problem is the oral polio vaccine. The vaccine hasnt been used in the U.S. since 2000, butother countries use itbecause it can prevent onward transmission of polio and is better for eradication efforts. Most of the time, viral shedding of the weakened vaccine virus is not a concern and it can even be beneficial because it providescontact immunity or indirect vaccination, as experts told us for aprevious story.

But sometimes the vaccine virus can change back into a more dangerous virus that can cause paralysis.This happens when the virus accumulates mutations after circulating for a long time in populations with low rates of vaccination or in immunocompromised people. This strain ofvaccine-derived polioviruscan shed and infect others,putting unvaccinated people at risk of getting polio.

This only stresses the importance of vaccination among vulnerable groups.Polio was eliminated in the U.S. in 1979 thanks to widespread vaccination. And as part of the efforts to eradicate polio globally, scientists developed anew version of the oral polio vaccine, first rolled out in 2021,thatis less likely to revert and cause vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks.

Although live attenuated vaccines are generally safe, they are contraindicated for certain groups and in certain instances.

They are not recommended for pregnant people due to a theoretical risk of virus transmission to the fetus,according to the CDC.

The CDC alsosaysthat live vaccines usually shouldnt be given to severely immunocompromised people, such as people with leukemia, or people taking drugs that can cause severe immunosuppression, such as someone undergoing treatment for cancer. This is because these individuals may be unable to limit the replication of the weakened vaccine virus, which can lead to severe illness or death.Still, some immunocompromised people may receive some live attenuated vaccines safely, so patients should consult their doctors, since recommendations vary case by case.

Most live attenuated vaccines can safely be given to vulnerable people with some exceptions, Lopman, from Emory University, told us.

Live attenuated vaccines have been used for as long as vaccines have existed. They are widely used globally and are generally safe, Lopman said. Severe reactions are extremely rare.

Editors note: SciChecks articles providing accurate health information and correcting health misinformation are made possible by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The foundation has no control over FactCheck.orgs editorial decisions, and the views expressed in our articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the foundation.

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Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. CDC. 18 Aug 2021.

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Vaccine (Shot) for Mumps. CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Vaccine (Shot) for Rubella. CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Vaccine (Shot) for Chickenpox. CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Vaccine (Drops) for Rotavirus. CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine [LAIV] (The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine). CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Making Vaccines: How Are Vaccines Made?. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Vaccine Education Center. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Altered Immunocompetence. CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

A Look at Each Vaccine: Smallpox Vaccine. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Vaccine Education Center. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

McDonald, Jessica. Poliovirus Found in New York City Wastewater, Not Tap Water. FactCheck.org. 18 Aug 2022.

Lopman, Benjamin. Professor of epidemiology and environmental health at Emory Universitys Rollins School of Public Health. Email sent to FactCheck.org. 5 Dec 2023.

Andino-Pavlovsky, Raul. Professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of California, San Francisco. Email sent to FactCheck.org. 5 Dec 2023.

Infectious Diseases And Immune-Compromised People. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, Vaccine Education Center. Spring 2020.

Safety of Influenza Vaccines. CDC. Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

Varivax. FDA.Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

RotaTeq. FDA.Accessed 11 Dec 2023.

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Jaramillo, Catalina. No Scientific Basis for Vaccine Shedding Claims. FactCheck.org. 11 May 2021.

Original post:

Vaccine Shedding Is Expected With Some Vaccines and Generally Not Harmful, Contrary to Post - FactCheck.org

Whooping cough

Data shows increase in infections and experts advise vaccination for pregnant women, babies and young children

Whooping cough might sound like a disease of the Victorian era, but according to new data from public health bodies, it is on the rise in the UK.

Looking at 2023 until late November, data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has revealed there were 1,141 suspected cases in England and Wales, compared with 450 for the same period of 2022 and 454 for that period in 2021 about a 250% increase.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, arises when bacteria called Bordetella pertussis cause an infection in the lungs and airways. It was once a common childhood infection and cause of death among babies, but a vaccine introduced in the 1950s changed that.

Before the 1960s, when I guess we really got going with vaccination, there were epidemics every three years or so, said Adam Finn, a professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol.

Older children and adults can also get whooping cough as neither vaccination nor infection provide lifelong immunity and it is highly infectious. While less serious than in babies, according to Finn symptoms in these groups involve an ongoing cough sometimes called a 100-day cough. The NHS notes hernia, sore ribs, middle ear infections and urinary incontinence can also arise.

The early vaccine which was made from whole, inactivated pertussis bacteria worked well, but fears arose that it caused brain damage. This was subsequently found to be untrue, but the claims led to a drop in uptake, and a return of big epidemics of whooping cough in the 1980s. Then gradually the rates of vaccination went back up again, said Finn.

Modern whooping cough vaccines are based on more sophisticated technology in which proteins from the bacteria are purified, detoxified and administered.

Finn noted these jabs produced fewer side-effects such as fevers in babies, but the immunity they generated did not last as long. That led to a rise in whooping cough cases in teenagers and in adults around the start of the new millennium, followed by an increase in cases and deaths among babies.

As a result, from 2012 the whooping cough vaccine was offered to pregnant women in the UK, in the hope a mothers antibodies would pass to her baby in the womb, giving protection from birth.

This has resulted in a decline in the incidence of whooping cough in infants aged under three months, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence notes.

According to data from UKHSA, from early July to the end of November this year there were 716 suspected cases of whooping cough in England and Wales, compared with 217 in the same period last year, and 213 in the same period of 2021.

What is unclear is the ages of those affected. I think most of these 700-odd cases theyre describing will not be in young children. Theyll be in adults, said Finn, adding it was likely the figures did represent a real rise rather than an increase in testing.

However, UKHSA noted lab-confirmed cases of whooping cough, while increasing, still remained lower than in the pre-pandemic years.

Experts say it could be a hangover from restrictions during the Covid pandemic.

Social distancing and lockdown measures imposed across the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the spread of infections, including whooping cough, said Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA.

Finn agreed, noting the restrictions meant fewer whooping cough infections and hence a smaller number of people with immunity. And that means that when an infection comes, it gets more opportunities to spread, he said.

Experts say it is vital pregnant women get vaccinated, and ensure their babies and young children receive the vaccine.

The whooping cough vaccine is given alongside five others to babies at eight, 12 and 16 weeks, and as part of a four-in-one booster to preschool children aged three years and four months.

The NHS notes that rest and fluids are important if infected, while paracetamol or ibuprofen can be taken. Severe cases may require hospital treatment.

The NHS adds that if whooping cough is diagnosed within three weeks of the infection, antibiotics can be given to help prevent others becoming infected.

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What is whooping cough and why are cases rising in England and Wales? - The Guardian

A nurse holds a vial of COVID-19 vaccine and syringe. Getty Images.

Ahead of the winter holiday season, some Maryland doctors and state health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated for COVID and influenza ahead of celebrations and family visits, as new vaccines are available to help protect from COVID-19 and other respiratory ailments.

This is the first fall and winter virus season where vaccines are available for the three viruses responsible for most hospitalizations COVID-19, RSV, and flu, according to a September press release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has urged people aged 6 months and older to receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine to better defend against modern variants of the virus. Updated Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been available as of September.

According to Maryland Department of Health data on COVID-19, analyzed by Maryland Matters, there were an average of 303 people hospitalized with COVID each day in November. Thats up from an average of 244 people hospitalized each day in October.

But Dr. James D. Campbell, an infectious disease pediatrician with the University of Maryland Childrens Hospital and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is also recommending that people also get their flu shot now, as the vaccine takes a few weeks to fully take effect.

We urge everyone to get their flu shots as soon as possible, especially if they plan to visit their relatives during the holidays, he said.

The flu vaccine takes about two to three weeks to become fully effective, and it can prevent serious complications like pneumonia. Pneumonia can be very dangerous for young children, older adults and people with weak immune systems, but it can also affect healthy people, Campbell said in a written statement.

In recent weeks we have seen a rise in hospitalization for respiratory illnesses at the University of Maryland Childrens Hospital and the broader University of Maryland Medical Center, he added.

According to data from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and polling organization, 59.8% of Marylanders received a flu vaccine during the 2022-23 influenza season, higher than the national average of 49.3%.

However, data shows that some adults are not interested in receiving vaccines such as the new COVID-19 booster ahead of the holidays.

According to a November report from KFF, surveying adults from Oct. 31 through Nov. 7, only one in five adults said that they had received the new COVID vaccine at the time of the survey.

The results also showed that 26% of adults said they would definitely or probably get the updated vaccine. KFF reported that people aged 65+ years or older were more likely to have already gotten the updated booster or were definitely intending to get one.

This is meaningful given that those ages 65 and older are more vulnerable to COVID-19, as theyre more likely to get seriously sick and experience complications that could result in hospitalization, the KFF report says.

But 34% of adults surveyed said that they would definitely not get the vaccine, and another 17% percent said that the would probably not.

The survey results also found that 74% of adults were not too worried or not at all worried about catching COVID-19 over the holidays, and 68% were not worried or not at all worried about spreading COVID-19 to people close to them.

The Maryland Department of Health has also urged Marylanders to take precaution this winter, and expanded an informational campaign urging residents to protect themselves against COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

We are also excited that this year, for the first time, there are RSV vaccines and antibody treatments available for older adults, pregnant women, and newborns to protect our most vulnerable Marylanders against severe RSV infections, Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott said in a written statement.

According to a November press release from the state health department, recent developments in vaccination and treatment efforts can help protect medically vulnerable populations from RSV, which can lead to serious respiratory health problems such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

For Marylanders 60 and older, there is a new RSV vaccine that decreases the risk of severe illness from this respiratory virus, the press release says. There is also now protection for babies in the form of a new vaccine for pregnant women in their third trimester, as well as a monoclonal antibody treatment for newborns and at-risk infants.

More:

Doctors, health officials advise Marylanders to get vaccinated before holiday travel - Maryland Matters

Icosavax stock soared 47% in Tuesday premarket trading after the Seattle-based vaccine developer reached a deal to be acquired by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.

Shares in AstraZeneca advanced 1.8% in the U.S. premarket after the group agreed to acquire Icosavax for approximately $1.1 billion in a cash deal expected to close in the first quarter of next year. The acquisition values Icosavax at $15 a share, a healthy premium to the stocks closing price of $10.49 Monday.

Icosavax...

Icosavax stock soared 47% in Tuesday premarket trading after the Seattle-based vaccine developer reached a deal to be acquired by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.

Shares in AstraZeneca advanced 1.8% in the U.S. premarket after the group agreed to acquire Icosavax for approximately $1.1 billion in a cash deal expected to close in the first quarter of next year. The acquisition values Icosavax at $15 a share, a healthy premium to the stocks closing price of $10.49 Monday.

Icosavax is developing a potential vaccine, called IVX-A12, for two common respiratory diseases that are leading causes of respiratory infection and hospitalization among adults 60 years of age and older: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV).

There are currently no treatments of preventative therapies for hMPV, the groups said, and no combination vaccines for RSV. Phase two trial data has demonstrated that IVX-A12 elicits robust immune responses against both diseases.

This virus-like particle vaccine technology has the potential to transform prevention against severe infectious diseases, including RSV and hMPV, Iskra Reic, AstraZenecas executive vice president of vaccines and immune therapies, said in a statement. With the addition of Icosavaxs Phase III-ready lead asset to our late-stage pipeline, we will have a differentiated, advanced investigational vaccine, and a platform for further development of combination vaccines against respiratory viruses.

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The acquisition marks the latest deal in the red-hot biotech and pharmaceutical space. AbbVie last Wednesday announced its second major deal in as many weeks as it moved to buy Cerevel Therapeutics , and biotech deals in particular have heated up into the end of the year, boding well for deal momentum into 2024.

Write to Jack Denton at jack.denton@barrons.com

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AstraZeneca Reaches Deal to Buy Icosavax. The Vaccine Stock Soars 47%. - Barron's

Gavi, the vaccine alliance, says it has committed more than US$1.8 billion to support vaccine production in Africa, a move that could bolster the continents efforts to address historical dependence on imported vaccines and establish its own robust biotechnology sector.

Up to $US1 billion of this will be made available to drugs manufacturers through the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), which the Gavi board approved at a meeting in Ghana last week, the alliance said.

The new finance mechanism, scheduled to be launched in June 2024, is a response to the stark inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It aims to ensure a resilient vaccine supply for Africa, supporting at least four African manufacturers to deliver over 800 million doses over the next ten years.

Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa Centres for Disease Control (Africa CDC), said the commitment was a game-changer for the continents efforts towards vaccine self-reliance.

The African Union has set a target for the continent to produce 60 per cent of the vaccines needed on the continent by 2040; AVMA is indeed an accelerator towards that ambition, he said in a statement.

The funding announcement also includes a US$ 500 million First Response Fund, put in place to secure immediate vaccine funding for future pandemics and extraordinary support to help close routine immunisation gaps, a legacy of COVID-19.

Gavis board approved a further US$22 million to support pandemic prevention, preparedness and response activities.

Gavi has also added the new multivalent meningococcal vaccine into its investment strategy and set out a shortlist of other proposed new vaccines, taking the total investment to $US1.8 billion.

However, vaccine manufacturers will not benefit from the accelerator funds immediately.

Following board approval, Gavi will consult widely on AVMAs operational framework, including an inclusive steering committee and governance processes.

Olly Cann, Gavis head of communications

Cann said the AVMA would focus on supporting critical development stages and offsetting high start-up costs for vaccine manufacturers. This, he believes, positions Africa as a key player in the global vaccine ecosystem.

AVMA could help establish a robust biotechnology presence in Africa, manufacturing essential vaccines for cholera, malaria, measles, and the new hexavalent vaccine while supporting pandemic and outbreak prevention, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed Africas precarious dependence on imported vaccines, necessitating funding initiatives to build Africas vaccine manufacturing capacity to tackle future health emergencies.

According to Africa CDC, just over half the population of Africa has now been vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the rate of vaccination was far slower than the world average.

Previous big funding initiatives for African vaccine manufacturing include the US$2 billion raised through Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) since 2021 towards the 60 per cent goal for African vaccine production and over US$12 billion allocated by the World Banks Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) to the same end.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has committed 1 billion (US$1.08 billion) towards vaccines, medicines and health technology in Africa, while The African Development Bank (AfDB) established a US$3 billion facility to support healthcare infrastructure development in Africa, including vaccine production.

Earlier this year, Africa CDC produced a roadmap to help the continent achieve health security for sustainable development, known as the new public health order for Africa.

Its main pillars include expanded manufacturing of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics to help achieve universal health coverage.

Anodi Kaihula, is a community health nurse from Tanzania and member of the African Unions Bingwa initiative, which aims to accelerate the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among young people in Africa.

He says the Gavi pledge is the right support for the region as the continent gears up for implementing the new public health order, particularly with regard to local vaccine manufacturing.

But he believes there is need for further support from African nations.

With the current status of only 1 per cent of vaccines being produced in Africa, much funding is needed to put infrastructures in place, human resources and capacity building for member states, Kaihula told SciDev.Net.

But the focus should be on raising domestic funding to make things happen sustainably.

Gavi urged finance institutions to invest in sustainable business cases and encouraged the private sector to contribute to capacity building and technology transfer.

Together, these efforts maximise sustainability and health security, added Cann.

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Gavi commits more than US$1.8 billion to support vaccine production in Africa - News-Medical.Net

In a recent article published inPLOS ONE, researchers designed five deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccine candidates based on different severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains. They evaluated the immunogenicity of each in mice.

Study:Evaluation of immunogenicity-induced DNA vaccines against different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Image Credit:M-Foto/Shutterstock.com

A safe and effective vaccination strategy is the key to combating SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which led to worldwide lockdowns, socioeconomic disruption, and an unprecedented threat to public health.

In the past, heterologous vaccination strategies have successfully combated many deadly diseases, such as malaria, influenza, and human papillomavirus.

Studies have shown that different vaccine platforms, such as DNA, adenoviral vectors, modified vaccinia Ankara viral vectors, and recombinant subunit vaccines, significantly increase humoral and cellular immunity.

In their previous study, researchers found DNA vaccine candidates safe, stable (at room temperature), and more convenient to store and ship than other vaccine platforms; thus, they seem apt for emergencies like the one induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DNA vaccines also elicit robust humoral and cellular immune responses. However, they often do not induce significant clinical benefits.

Given the proven benefits of homologous and heterologous vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, researchers tested the effectiveness of a prime-boost regimen of five DNA vaccines they developed against SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse model.

These newly developed vaccine candidates were based on the first genotype spike (S), which includes the Wuhan strain, the first ever SARS-CoV-2 strain isolated in Korea, and the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants, which are classified as SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) by the World Health Organization (WHO).

They intramuscularly (i.m) vaccinated mice with these DNA vaccine candidates to assess their immunogenicity based on elicited cellular and humoral immune responses.

For humoral immunogenicity evaluation, they drew the blood of vaccinated mice one week after the last vaccination dose. The sera of vaccinated test animals were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 specific total immunoglobulin G (IgG) and its subtypes using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Then, they calculated the total IgG titers as half maximal effective concentration (EC50) while determiningP-values using one-way ANOVA with Fishers LSD test. They also calculated the ratios of IgG2b and IgG2c to IgG1.

Additionally, they used a plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) to analyze neutralizing antibody (nAb) levels in the sera of the vaccinated animals; further, they foundP-values using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukeys test.

A surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) helped test mice sera for their neutralization rate, wherep-values were determined using one-way ANOVA with Dunnetts test.

Furthermore, the researchers evaluated cell-mediated immune responses elicited in response to all five DNA vaccine candidates a week after the last vaccination.

To this end, they collected mice splenocytes and tested them using a spike glycoprotein peptide pool against unstimulated cells.

To evaluate cross-vaccination immunogenicity, the researchers autopsiedmice one week after the final vaccination; further, they isolated their splenocytes to measure the levels of secreted cytokines using ELISpot compared to the unstimulated group.

The authors noted that the mice vaccinated with DNA vaccine candidates based on the S genotype, Alpha, and Beta variants had higher nAb and total IgG levels than the others.

Exceptionally, the Alpha variant-based vaccine candidate elicited a strong and diverse cytokine response.

Additionally, splenocytes of all test mice showed high levels of cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-13, and interferon-gamma (IFN-), while the Alpha variant-based DNA vaccine also elicited more tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) levels.

In mice vaccinated with homologous vaccination based on Alpha VOC, higher levels of IL-6 and IL-13 were associated with reduced angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) expression and increased SARS-CoV-2 entry via the nasal and bronchial epithelium. In addition, these mice displayed increased TNF- levels than the other groups.

Furthermore, mice vaccinated with S/S and S/Alpha showed markedly increased levels of T helper cells (Th1) and Th2-secreted cytokines, IFN-, and IL-6/13, suggesting that DNA vaccine candidates drive strong T cell responses by balancing cytokine levels.

Overall, the study results suggested that the efficacy of DNA vaccine candidates was variant-dependent, with vaccines based on the S and Alpha variants enhancing higher immune responses than the other vaccines.

The results, however, remained the same regardless of boosting with heterologous or homologous vaccines.

Thus, whether receiving a homo- or heterologous regimen, recipients of these vaccines require prolonging the elicited immune response (by booster vaccination) to achieve adequate protective efficacy against SARS-CoV-2.

Further research should identify which vaccination strategies are optimal for long-term immunity and which T resident memory cells contribute most to confer protection against SARS-CoV-2.

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Evaluation of immunogenicity-induced DNA vaccines against different SARS-CoV-2 variants - News-Medical.Net

The US Supreme Court tossed competing appellate rulings on an executive order President Joe Biden has since revoked that required all federal employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

In orders Monday, the justices vacated decisions from the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Sixth and DC Circuits on whether federal employees can challenge the vaccine requirement in district court under the Civil Service Reform Act.

The law set administrative procedures that employees must follow when challenging an adverse employment action, like a firing or suspension, and gave the Federal Circuit exclusive authority to hear appeals.

All the rulings came before Biden revoked the mandate in May.

The justices undid the rulings under the so-called Munsingwear doctrine, in which the court vacates adverse rulings that the losing party no longer has the ability to challenge.

The doctrine frequently comes into play when federal policies are likely to be changed under a new administration.

The cases are Payne v. Biden, U.S., No. 22-1225, Biden v. Feds for Medical Freedom, U.S., No. 23-60, and Kendall v. Doster, U.S., No. 23-154.

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Supreme Court Wipes Away Conflicting Rulings on Covid Vaccines - Bloomberg Law

Brazzaville The quest to protect Africa from vaccine-preventable diseases has received a significant boost, with the commitment of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to invest US$ 1.8 billion to support African vaccine manufacturing, catching up missed children and pandemic preparedness.

The decision taken last week by the Gavi Board at its meeting in Accra, Ghana will help the continent to recover from the impact COVID-19 pandemic and be better prepared to respond to future public health emergencies.

This commitment comes at an opportune time when the sub-Saharan African region is witnessing stalled progress in immunization coverage, with the number of African children missing routine vaccinations rising from 6.2 million in 2019 to 7.8 million in 2022, translating into 2.8 million zero-dose children from 2019 to 2022 cumulatively.

Furthermore, the establishment of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA), a financing instrument that will make up to US$1 billion, will strengthen ongoing efforts towards local vaccine manufacturing and address vaccine equity gaps identified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic highlighted beyond any doubt the critical importance of vaccination as a public health tool. This decision by the Board of Gavi will contribute significantly to saving lives and livelihoods, says Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa.

At the 2023 WHO Africa Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) and the Immunization Stakeholders meeting, experts shared their commitment to advance efforts toward the attainment of global immunization. Therefore, through WHOs coordination role, the African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), which facilitated the regulatory environment required for COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the RITAG have been positioned and ready to support these commitments by Gavi for a deepened outcome.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa also welcomes the decision by Gavi to translate lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic into concrete public health interventions, with a US$ 500 million investment to ensure the availability of funds for a future pandemic.

The lessons learned from decades of fighting and preventing diseases, including most recently, COVID-19 have led to the vision and strategies, articulated in WHO Africa Regional Offices Ending Disease in Africa: vision, strategies and Special Initiatives, 2023-2030, which will drive the work moving forward, including the vital acceleration of immunization uptake across the region. Anchored on this new strategy, WHO has supported countries in Africa in the development of innovative country plans to catch up with children who missed routine immunization.

This new strategy aligns with Gavis focus on protecting the next generation particularly zero-dose children through strengthening regional and country capacities on immunization and other diagnostics and therapeutics.

For us as WHO, serving about a billion people in 47 African countries, we welcome the opportunity to strengthen our ongoing collaboration with Gavi, Africa CDC and other partners to translate this latest commitment into action towards ending diseases in Africa, Dr Moeti said.

For more information on the fight against diseases in Africa, see related links. Ending diseases in Africa Status of Immunization in Africa The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa Country Profiles on Immunization Coverage in the African Region

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WHO Africa welcomes Gavi's commitment to Africa vaccine manufacture, immunization and pandemic preparedness - WHO | Regional Office for Africa