Category: Vaccine

Pictured: Gloved hands amid a collage of cancer treatments/Taylor Tieden for BioSpace

Parsing key trends from 7,200 abstracts on cancer-related research can be challengingtake it from someone whos spent the past week trying to do it! But pretty quickly, a few key themes became apparent at the American Association for Cancer Researchs annual meeting.

First and foremost, the programs presented are tackling difficult cancers with a high unmet need and a dire prognosis. Some of the presentations last weekend involved drug candidates targeting pancreatic cancer, for example. In 2023, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer was just 12%, according to the American Cancer Society.

Two presentationsone on Bristol Myers Squibbs blockbuster immunotherapy Opdivo, the other on a messenger RNA vaccine in development by BioNTech and Genentechshowed promising signals. Opdivos trial, the first reported of a PD1 inhibitor in neoadjuvant pancreatic cancer, indicated that the drug may improve outcomes, while BioNTech and Genentechs vaccine continued to show potential in a particularly difficult-to-treat form of the disease.

This announcement also dovetailed with another prominent theme at AACR: the resurgence of cancer vaccines, which are also making inroads in advanced liver cancer, head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer that carries a 5-year survival rate of just 10%; patients typically survive between 15 and 18 months after being diagnosed. A Phase I study of Diakonos Oncologys dendritic cell vaccine showed substantially increased survival in glioblastoma patients; 88% of patients remained alive a year after treatment, compared to a historical 53% of those on standard regimens.

Other platforms and approaches also appear to be breaking through against difficult-to-treat cancers, though many of the results presented at AACR are still early stage. As anticipated, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) were a focus, with Vincerx Pharma presenting Phase I data in metastatic tumors and Merck and Kelun-Biotech reporting a potential survival benefit from their TROP2-directed ADC in gastric cancer.

Several other modalities were also on display at AACR. Phase I data from Menlo Park, Calif.based Synthekine, for example, showed that its / biased interleukin-2 (IL-2) partial agonist, STK-012, has thus far avoided the toxicities associated with IL-2 therapies while also demonstrating a favorable efficacy profile in advanced solid tumors. And TILT Biotherapeutics reported that TILT-123, an oncolytic adenovirus armed with tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-2, demonstrated signs of efficacy when combined with Mercks Keytruda in a Phase I trial in patients with platinum-resistant and refractory ovarian cancer.

Another therapy that drew attention at the meeting was AstraZenecas next-generation poly-ADP ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1) selective inhibitor, which experts are hopeful can negate some of the toxicities caused by drugs that inhibit both PARP1 and PARP2. Timothy Yap, vice president and head of clinical development in the Therapeutics Discovery Division at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, noted in his presentation of the positive Phase I/II trial data that there is a great opportunity to combine a selective PARP1 inhibitor with other therapies.

This was a point also made by David Weinstock, vice president of discovery oncology at Merck, who in March told BioSpacethat we are moving toward a future where we have enough medications that each work individually and have minimal side effects so that we can create even larger combinations, which offer the most benefit to people.

As a science journalist, its easy to get bogged down in the data, the results and biggest trends (ADCs for all!) and forget the human face of cancer. As a human being, its easy to get depressed by improvements that might seem incremental, but an additional six months can mean another birthday, another anniversary or the birth of another grandchild.

Elevation Oncology CSO David Dornan told me that solid cancers are almost equally as hard and different in their own right. But progress is being made. In 2023, the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer increased by one percentage point from the previous year, marking the second year in a row survival has increased. Overall, the cancer death rate in the U.S. has declined by 33% since 1991. I, for one, am looking forward to reading about the next advances at the American Society of Clinical Oncologys annual meeting in June.

Heather McKenzie is a senior editor at BioSpace. You can reach her atheather.mckenzie@biospace.com. Also follow her onLinkedIn.

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Vaccines, Next-Gen Approaches Target the Toughest Cancers: AACR - BioSpace

Dr. Reddys has entered into an exclusive partnership with Sanofi Healthcare India to promote and distribute their vaccine brands across private markets in India.

Dr. Reddys will have exclusive rights to promote and distribute Sanofis pediatric and adult vaccine brands Hexaxim, Pentaxim, Tetraxim, Menactra, FluQuadri, Adacel and Avaxim 80U.

These brands saw combined sales of approximately $51 million, per IQVIA February 2024 data.

Sanofi will continue to own, manufacture and import these brands to the country.

Preeti Futnani, general manager India for vaccines at Sanofi, said, Vaccine confidence has reached its highest in India in the last few years. Yet, there is much to be done for the rest of the countrys large unvaccinated cohort. To fulfill our long-term commitment to India and expand our geographic reach, were pleased to partner with Dr. Reddys for exclusive distribution and promotion. Were confident this partnership will further bolster our promise of saving millions of lives against vaccines preventable diseases with improved vaccination coverage.

[Read more: Dr. Reddy's acquires MenoLabs from Amyris]

M.V. Ramana, CEO of branded markets (India and emerging markets), at Dr. Reddys, said, We are happy to have the opportunity to leverage our strengths in promotion and distribution to considerably expand engagement with healthcare professionals and help widen access of Sanofis well-established and trusted vaccine brands in India. We continue our efforts to become the partner of choice in bringing novel, innovative and trusted drugs to patients in India through strategic collaborations. The portfolio now gives Dr. Reddys a strong presence in the vaccine segment, propelling us to the second position among vaccines players in India. Through each product and partnership, our aim is to serve over 1.5 billion patients by 2030.

[Focus On: How Dr. Reddys Labs approach sets it apart in a crowded space]

See more here:

Dr. Reddy's partners with Sanofi for vaccine brands in India - Drug Store News

Study cohort

A total of 106 individuals were included in this study. 87 were recruited by the occupational healthcare department of the University Hospital Bonn and 19 by the Emergency Medicine department of the University Gttingen in Germany. The first contact was established by telephone after which a written invitation and a consent form were sent to each participant. Individuals were divided into three groups according to their histories of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 antigens: individuals who had received three mRNA (encoding wild-type spike protein) vaccine doses and subsequently recovered from an omicron breakthrough infection (Vacc+O-Inf, n=37), individuals who received three mRNA (encoding wild-type spike protein) vaccine doses and were not infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Vacc, n=41), and individuals that did not get vaccinated but were infected with omicron (O-Inf, n=28). Age or sex was not among the selection criteria. Following gender distribution was observed between the groups: 65% females and 35% males for the Vacc+O-Inf group, 66% females and 34% males for the Vacc group, 50% females and 50% males for the O-Inf group, and 57% females and 43% males for the subgroup of 7 O-Inf individuals with available PBMC samples. No significant differences in age distribution were observed between the groups (mean yearsSD for O-Inf, Vacc+O-Inf, Vacc groups and a subgroup of 7 O-Inf individuals with available PBMC samples respectively: 5021, 4015, 4714, 4413). SARS-CoV-2 infections were confirmed by RT-PCR. During the period of sample collection, the prevalence of omicron variants was >99% as assessed by sentinel sequencing. Detailed information on the vaccination, infection, and sampling time points as well as demographic information is provided in supplemental table1. All individuals with omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection did not have previously confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. For the Vacc group only individuals without confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, and negative nucleocapsid ELISA results were included. Vaccinations of individuals included in this study were performed at the occupational healthcare department of the University Hospital Bonn.

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn (ethics approval number 125/21) and the Ethics Committee of University Medical Center Goettingen (ethics approval number 21/06/22). All participants provided written informed consent. No compensation was provided for the participants.

Study participants provided peripheral blood specimens that were centrifuged for 10min at 600g to collect plasma. EDTA plasma was stored until analysis at 80C. PBMC were isolated by density gradient centrifugation using SepMate (Stemcell, 85450) tubes with density gradient medium (Pancoll, PAN-Biotech, P04-60500). The blood was diluted with PBS containing 2% FCS, carefully layered on top of the density gradient medium, and centrifuged at 1200g for 10min. The top layer containing the PBMCs was poured off and washed twice with PBS containing 2% FCS. Washed PBMC were resuspended in FCS containing 10% DMSO and frozen at 80C overnight. For long-term storage, PBMC samples were transferred to liquid nitrogen.

An in-house quantitative ELISA was used for the determination of omicron-SARS-CoV-2-RBD-specific IgG. First, microtiter plates with high binding capacity were coated with 100l of coating buffer (carbonate-bicarbonate buffer, pH=9.6) containing 1g/ml of recombinant omicron SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein (SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD, His Tag (B.1.1.529/Omicron), Acro Biosystems, SPD-C82E8) and incubated overnight at 4C. After washing with wash buffer (PBS with 0.05% (v/v) Tween-20) plates were blocked (PBS containing 1% (w/v) BSA) to prevent unspecific binding. Cryopreserved EDTA plasma samples were thawed and diluted 400-fold in the blocking buffer. After blocking, plates were washed, incubated with plasma samples, standard dilutions, and negative control (Human IgG Isotype Control, Invitrogen, 12-000-C, 100ng/ml), washed again, and incubated with 100l of HRP-conjugated anti-IgG antibody (Goat anti-Human IgG (Heavy chain) Secondary Antibody, HRP, Invitrogen, A18805) diluted 8000-fold in wash buffer. All incubation steps were performed at 37C for 1hour. Finally, plates were washed and 100l of the substrate solution was added (TMB Chromogen Solution, Life technologies, 002023). The substrate conversion took place at room temperature for 5min until the addition of 50l of 0.2M H2SO4. The optical density at 450nm (OD450) was measured using Synergy 2 Multimode Plate Reader (BioTek). The background-subtracted OD450 readings were interpolated to the standard dilution curve. The positivity cutoff was determined as the mean plus two standard deviations of plasma samples from healthy individuals collected before the COVID-19 outbreak.

An in-house competitive ELISA was used for the determination of IgG specific for the omicron but not wild-type SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Microtiter plates with high binding capacity were coated with 100l of coating buffer (carbonate-bicarbonate buffer, pH=9.6) containing 1g/ml of recombinant omicron SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein (SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD, His Tag (B.1.1.529/Omicron), Acro Biosystems, SPD-C82E8) or 1g/ml of BSA and incubated overnight at 4C. After washing with wash buffer (PBS with 0.05% (v/v) Tween-20) plates were blocked (PBS containing 1% (w/v) BSA) to prevent unspecific binding. Cryopreserved EDTA plasma samples were thawed and diluted in the blocking buffer. The plasma dilutions were calculated based on the previous measurement of omicron-SARS-CoV-2-RBD-specific IgG to achieve the OD450 of 2. Diluted plasma was then incubated with serial dilutions of wild-type RBD protein (SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) S protein RBD, His Tag, Acro Biosystems, SPD-C52H1). A total of 8 dilutions between 1g/ml and 0,002g/ml were measured for each sample. No further technical replicates were performed. Blocked RBD-coated plates were washed, incubated with plasma samples, standard dilutions and negative control (Human IgG Isotype Control, Invitrogen, 12-000-C, 100ng/ml), washed again, and incubated with 100l of HRP-conjugated anti-IgG antibody (Goat anti-Human IgG (Heavy chain) Secondary Antibody, HRP, Invitrogen, A18805) diluted 8000-fold in wash buffer. BSA-coated plates were incubated with three replicates of diluted plasma samples without wild-type RBD and treated equally. All incubation steps were performed at 37C for 1hour. Finally, plates were washed and 100l of the substrate solution was added (TMB Chromogen Solution, Life technologies, 002023). The substrate conversion took place at room temperature for 5min until the addition of 50l of 0.2M H2SO4. The optical density at 450nm was measured using Synergy 2 Multimode Plate Reader (BioTek). The background-subtracted OD450 readings were interpolated to the standard dilution curve. For each plasma sample incubated with wild-type RBD dilution series a scatter plot was generated and a sigmoidal curve was fitted to determine the top (representing the signal from total omicron-RBD-specific IgG) and bottom (representing the signal from omicron-not-wild-type-RBD-specific IgG) plateaus of the curve. GraphPad Prism software version 9.4.1. (681) was used for this purpose. The background signal of the BSA control was then subtracted from the bottom and top plateaus after which the two values were divided to obtain the proportion of omicron-not-wild-type-RBD-specific IgG relative to the total omicron-RBD-specific IgG. This fraction was multiplied with the corresponding quantitative ELISA measurement to obtain the level of omicron-not-wild-type-RBD-specific IgG in plasma.

The plasma neutralization capacity was determined by a plaque reduction neutralization assay. Therefore, plasma was heat-inactivated for 30min at 56C and serially two-fold diluted in OptiPRO SFM (Gibco, 12309-019) cell culture medium. A total of 10 dilutions between 4-fold and 32768-fold were measured for each sample depending on the neutralization capacity of a specimen. No further technical replicates were performed. Each plasma dilution was combined with 80 plaque-forming units of omicron SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.529 in OptiPRO SFM (Gibco, 12309-019) serum-free cell culture medium, incubated for 1h at 37C, and added to Vero E6 cells (ATCC, CRL-1586). The cells were seeded in 24-well plates at a density of 1.25105 cells/well 24h earlier. Following 1h incubation at 37C, the inoculum was removed and cells were overlaid with a 1:1 mixture of 1.5% (w/v) carboxymethylcellulose in 2xMEM supplemented with 4% FCS. After incubation at 37C for four days, the overlay was removed and the cells were fixed using a 6% formaldehyde solution. Fixed cells were stained with 1% crystal violet solution revealing the formation of plaques. The number of plaques was plotted against the plasma dilutions, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was determined using GraphPad Prism software version 9.4.1. (681).

To measure the proportion of neutralizing antibodies that recognize mutated regions of the omicron SARS-CoV-2 surface proteins we developed a competitive plaque reduction neutralization assay. First, plasma was heat-inactivated for 30min at 56C and diluted in OptiPRO SFM (Gibco, 12309-019) serum-free cell culture medium. The plasma dilutions were calculated based on the previous measurement of plasma neutralization capacity against the omicron-SARS-CoV-2 to achieve the 80% neutralization effect. Diluted plasma was then incubated with 12 serial 2-fold dilutions of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 surface proteins, spike (Acro Biosystems, SPN-C52H7), membrane (RayBiotech, YP_009724393) and envelope (Acro Biosystems, ENN-C5128) starting with 10ug/ml and incubated overnight at 4C. Plasma sample dilutions, standard dilutions, and negative controls (media without plasma) were combined with 80 plaque-forming units of omicron SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.529) in OptiPRO SFM (Gibco, 12309-019) serum-free cell culture medium, incubated for 1h at 37C, and added to Vero E6 cells (ATCC, CRL-1586). The cells were seeded in 24-well plates at a density of 1.25105 cells/well 24h earlier. Following 1h incubation at 37C, the inoculum was removed and cells were overlaid with a 1:1 mixture of 1.5% (w/v) carboxymethylcellulose in 2xMEM supplemented with 4% FCS. After incubation at 37C for four days, the overlay was removed and the cells were fixed using a 6% formaldehyde solution. Fixed cells were stained with 1% crystal violet solution revealing the formation of plaques. The number of plaques was plotted against the concentration of the surface proteins and a sigmoidal curve was interpolated using GraphPad Prism software version 9.4.1. (681). The top (representing the signal from omicron-not-wild-type-neutralizing antibodies) and bottom (representing the signal from total omicron-neutralizing antibodies) plateaus of each curve were interpolated from a standard curve and divided to obtain the proportion of omicron-not-wild-type-neutralizing antibodies relative to the total omicron-neutralizing antibodies. This fraction was then multiplied with the corresponding quantitative IC50 to obtain the level of omicron-not-wild-type-neutralizing antibodies in plasma.

Cryopreserved PBMC samples were thawed and rested overnight at 37C. The next morning, B cells were isolated immunomagnetically (REAlease CD19 MicroBead Kit, human, Miltenyi Biotec, 130-117-034) following the manufacturers instructions. Briefly, cells were resuspended in the recommended isolation buffer, labeled with anti-CD19 antibodies coupled to magnetic beads, and passed through a magnetic column. B cell-depleted flow-through was collected for the assessment of T cell responses. Immobilized B cells were washed out of the column and enzymatically released from the beads.

To detect the IgG+ B cells specific for the omicron and wild-type SARS-CoV-2 RBD the magnetically isolated B cells were resuspended in FACS buffer (PBS supplemented with 2% FCS, 0.05% NaN3, and 2mM EDTA) and incubated with the fluorescently labeled recombinant RBD proteins (Biotinylated SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD Protein, Acrobiolabs, SPD-C82E8 and Biotinylated SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD (B.1.1.529/Omicron), Acrobiolabs, SPD-C82E4). The wild-type RBD protein was conjugated with streptavidin-PE (Biolegend, 405204) and omicron RBD with streptavidin-APC (Biolegend, 40520). 15min into incubation with RBD proteins, an anti-IgG-BV421 antibody (clone G18-145, Biolegend, 562581, diluted 1:20) was added and the incubation was continued for another 15min. Cells were then washed with PBS and stained for viability (ZombieAqua, Biolegend, 423102) for 15min at 4C. Afterward, cells were washed with FACS buffer and incubated with a solution of antibodies blocking human Fc receptors (FcR block, Miltenyi Biotec, 130-059-901, diluted 1:10) for 10min at 4C. Next, a mixture of fluorescently labeled antibodies consisting of: anti-CD3-BV510 (clone UCHT1, Biolegend, 300448, diluted 1:40), anti-CD27-BV605 (clone O323, Biolegend, 302830, diluted 1:20), anti-IgM-BV785 (clone MHM-88, Biolegend, 314544, diluted 1:20), anti-IgA-VioBright 515 (clone REA1014, Miltenyi Biotec, 130-116-886, diluted 1:40), anti-CD21-PE-Cy7 (clone Bu32, Biolegend, 354912, diluted 1:160), and anti-CD19-APC-Cy7 (clone HIB19, Biolegend, 302218, diluted 1:80) was added. Each antibody was checked for performance and titrated before use. Following incubation at 4C for 15min, the cells were washed again and acquired on a BD FACS Celesta flow cytometer with BD FACSDiva Software Version 8.0 (BD Bioscience). Possible longitudinal fluctuations in laser intensity were monitored daily before the experiment using fluorescent beads (Rainbow beads, Biolegend, 422905). The data were analyzed with the FlowJo Software version 10.0.7 (TreeStar). To compensate for the background binding of IgG+ B cells to the fluorescent probes 16 samples were stained with unconjugated streptavidin-PE/APC. The average frequency of streptavidin-PE/APC-binding cells plus two standard deviations was subtracted from the frequencies of RBD-binding cells. No technical replicates were performed due to the scarcity of the samples.

B-cell-depleted PBMC fraction was seeded in 96-well U bottom plates and stimulated with two different pools of overlapping peptides: the first covering the mutated regions of the omicron SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (PepTivator SARS-CoV-2 Prot_S B.1.1.529/BA.1 Mutation Pool, Miltenyi Biotec, 130-129-928) and the second covering conserved regions of the spike (PepTivator SARS-CoV-2 Prot_S B.1.1.529/BA.1 WT Reference Pool, Miltenyi Biotec, 130-129-927). One million cells were stimulated per condition. The final concentration of each peptide was 1g/ml for both peptide pools. Co-stimulatory antibodies (BD FastImmune CD28/CD49d, BD Bioscience, 347690) were added to a final concentration of 1g/ml. For each sample, an equally treated DMSO-stimulated negative control was included. As a positive control, cells were stimulated with PMA (20ng/ml) (Sigma-Aldrich, P1585-1MG) and ionomycin (1g/ml) (Sigma-Aldrich, I3909-1ML). Stimulation was performed at 37C for 6hours. One hour into stimulation Golgi Stop (BD Bioscience, 554724) and Golgi Plug (BD Bioscience, 555029) were added (final concentration 1g/ml) to inhibit vesicular transport and prevent the secretion of the cytokines from cells.

Stimulated cells were washed with PBS and stained for viability (ZombieAqua, Biolegend, 423102) for 15min at 4C. Subsequently, samples were washed with FACS buffer, fixed, and permeabilized in CytoFix/CytoPerm Solution (BD Bioscience, 554714) for 15min at 4C. Fixed cells were washed with 1x Perm/Wash Buffer (BD Bioscience, 554723), and stained for the following intracellular markers; anti-CD3-APC-Cy7 (clone UCHT1, Biolegend, 300426, diluted 1:40), anti-CD4-BV786 (clone SK3, BD Bioscience, 344642, diluted 1:40), anti-CD8-PE-Cy7 (clone SK1, Biolegend, 344712, diluted 1:80), anti-IFN-PE (clone B27, Biolegend, 506507, diluted 1:40), and anti-TNF-BV421 (clone Mab11, Biolegend, 502932, diluted 1:80). Each antibody was checked for performance and titrated before use. Following 15min incubation at 4C, cells were washed thrice with PBS and acquired on a BD FACS Celesta with BD FACSDiva Software Version 8.0 (BD Bioscience). To minimize the signal from unspecific staining only T cells expressing IFN and TNF were considered antigen-specific. The frequencies of antigen-specific T cells were calculated as negative-control-subtracted data. Possible longitudinal fluctuations in laser intensity were monitored daily before the experiment using fluorescent beads (Rainbow beads, Biolegend, 422905). If needed PMT voltages were adjusted to ensure constant signal intensity over time. The data were analyzed with the FlowJo Software version 10.0.7 (TreeStar). No technical replicates were performed due to the scarcity of the samples.

Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism software version 9.4.1. (681). Differences between the groups were assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunns correction for multiple testing. All tests were performed two-sided. Statistical significance is indicated by the following annotations: *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001, ****p<0.0001.

Further information on research design is available in theNature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.

Link:

Vaccination impairs de novo immune response to omicron breakthrough infection, a precondition for the original ... - Nature.com

An experimental vaccine may one day offer an alternative to antibiotics for the prevention of chronic urinary tract infections in people with a history of this problem, according to preliminary results from a long-term study.

The study tested the pineapple-flavored oral MV140 vaccine, also called Uromune, thats designed to be sprayed under the tongue. For the study, scientists asked 89 men and women with a history of UTIs to take two sprays of the vaccine daily for three months.

[1]

Before having the vaccine, all our participants suffered with recurrent UTIs, and for many women, these can be difficult to treat, said Bob Yang, MD, who co-led the study and serves as a consultant urologist at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, in the statement.

None of the participants had UTIs when they initially started treatment with the vaccine. Two in five of them received additional doses of the vaccine one or two years after their initial course of treatment.

Researchers didnt report any side effects associated with the vaccine, according to the statement.

Overall, this vaccine is safe in the long term and our participants reported having fewer UTIs that were less severe, Dr. Yang said in the statement. Many of those who did get a UTI told us that simply drinking plenty of water was enough to treat it.

While the results are preliminary and will need to be verified by additional trials, Yang said its possible primary care providers might one day be able to prescribe a three-month course of the vaccine to prevent repeated UTIs in people who have a history of these infections.

It could be a game changer for UTI prevention if its offered widely, reducing the need for antibiotic treatments, Yang said in the statement.

But U.S. patients will have a long wait. The vaccine is still experimental, and not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Even so, the results so far suggest the vaccine has the potential to dramatically transform care for the better, says J. Curtis Nickel, MD, a professor emeritus at Queens University and a urologist at Kingston Health Sciences Centre in Ontario.

Recurrent UTI causes significant patient burden in terms of pain, disability, urinary symptoms, antibiotic side effects, time off work and activities, psychological issues like depression and anxiety, and stress and increases personal and societal antibiotic resistance, Dr. Nickel says. MV140 is more effective and has fewer side effects than the present treatment and preventative modality, [which is] antibiotics.

See more here:

Experimental UTI Vaccine Offers Potential Alternative to Antibiotics - Everyday Health

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Oregon study finds no link between COVID-19 vaccine, cardiac deaths - Southwest Community Connection

The growing concern around meningitis and what you can do to prevent infection.

The brain has three layers that serve to cover and protect it from trauma and disease, collectively called the meninges. Meningitis is a preventable but serious infection resulting from inflammation of the fluid and meninges surrounding the brain. It is spread when people share prolonged contact with an infected persons throat or respiratory droplets such as saliva or spit when coughing or kissing, for example.

On March 28, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a statement warning healthcare professionals of a recent increase in meningococcal disease in the United States. As of March 2024, the CDC reported 143 cases of meningitis in the United States, compared to just 81 cases reported by this same time in 2023. The CDC also reports that the current dominant strain of meningitis disproportionately affects those 30-60 years old, those living with HIV, and Black or African American people. Those who live with an infected person, such as a roommate or family member, are also at an increased risk of contracting meningitis.

While meningitis is rare, it is a serious infection that can lead to death in 10-15% of cases, often within the first 24 to 48 hours after symptoms begin. The most common cause in the United States is from a viral infection, although meningitis can also be caused by bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Common symptoms of meningitis include a high fever, photophobia, severe headache, neck stiffness, confusion, and vomiting. Timely medical care and antibiotic administration is central to treatment for yourself and those who have been around you for a prolonged period of time.

An important step to protect yourself and others from contracting meningitis is to get one of the three meningococcal vaccines that are available for use in the United States. The CDC recommends that meningococcal vaccines be given starting as early as two months or 10 years old, depending on the individual situation. Vaccines are also encouraged for adults, particularly for those living in close quarters with others, such as college dorms. To determine the exact age and what vaccine is right for you or your child, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about your options.

If you need help finding a doctor, try searching for primary care physicians in your area that are highly recommended, search your insurance providers website for doctors in your network, or ask for recommendations from friends and neighbors. There are also search enginesthat can help you narrow your search based on region and specialty needed.

To find a vaccine, check with your primary care physician, local health departments, pharmacies, and clinics. You can also visit https://www.vaccines.gov to locate a vaccine clinic near you.

If you would like to learn more about vaccines, check out Michigan State University ExtensionsMichigan Vaccine Project to find links to event schedules, podcasts, publications, webinars, and videos relating to vaccine education.

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Keeping an eye on meningitis - Vaccine Education - Michigan State University

HPV routine vaccination at Cana Primary school.

Last year, Eswatini applied for the GAVI grant which is meant to assist the country scale up the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive that was launched in June 2023. Eswatini is one of the countries with a high cervical cancer burden in the Africa region with about 360 new cases recorded each year of which one in three succumb as a result of late detection. To counter this, Eswatini is currently making efforts to screen and treat all women with confirmed cervical cancer to initiate improved chances of survival. Currently, more than 2000 women are living with cervical cancer in the country, with more than 700 cancer-related deaths recorded in the past five years. Speaking during the launch, Dr Dalya Elziniy - GAVI representative appreciated Eswatinis efforts in the fight against cervical cancer.

It's effectiveness can't be overstated. GAVI are honoured to support countries to fight cancer . Eswatini is a champion among the middle income countries for making such strong steps and making commitment to fight cancer Dalya, GAVI.

In 2023, Eswatini launched the HPV campaign targeting girls between the ages of 9 and 14. HPV vaccines are both safe and highly effective in preventing HPV types 16 and 18, which are together responsible for about 70% of all cervical cancer cases globally. The vaccines are also highly efficacious in preventing precancerous cervical lesions caused by these virus types.

The aim of the partnership is to strengthen and sustain the HPV program to increase coverage. We appreciate the support by GAVI and hope it will be extended beyond the HPV vaccine. I would like to reiterate that all immunization services are free and accessible to all. I urge the public to visit the nearest health facility to receive vaccination including COVID-19 vaccine Minister of Health Mduduzi Matesebula

The HPV vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer if it is administered before girls or women are exposed to the virus.The incidence of HPV is fuelled by high HIV rates, driving up cervical cancer case numbers and deaths.

"We thank the Government of Eswatini for the strong political will and commitment in procuring 100% of vaccines including the HPV vaccine. We appreciate the leadership displayed by government in the introduction of new vaccines, including the recently introduced HPV vaccine which shows the strong commitment of the Government to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3, that seeks to promote good health and leaving no one behind. The introduction of HPV vaccine is an important step towards Eswatinis wider efforts to reduce morbidity and mortality in women from cervical cancer as you may be aware that cervical cancer is a leading cause of death among women in the region and globally Dr Susan Tembo- WHO Representative

GAVI and WHO also used the project launch opportunity to visit select schools to appreciate the vaccine drives that are currently ongoing all over the country.

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ESWATINI RECEIVES USD 1.6M GRANT FROM GAVI TO SUPPORT HPV VACCINE INTRODUCTION - WHO | Regional Office for Africa

With growing concern among biologists about the spread of the so-called bird flu to cattle in the U.S., the worry now is that more humans could catch the virus.

Author: kvue.com

Published: 10:15 PM CDT April 11, 2024

Updated: 10:15 PM CDT April 11, 2024

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Texas researchers developing a possible vaccine for people to prevent human Bird Flu infections - KVUE.com

Pfizer Inc.s RSV shot produced immune reactions in young adults at higher risk of severe illness just as well as in older people, spurring the companys plans to apply for wider U.S. approval.

A single dose of the vaccine, called Abrysvo, produced a strong immune response in adults ages 18 to 59 with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or chronic lung disease, Pfizer said. Based on the final-stage trial results, the company plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration to extend the shots approval to adults 18 and older.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a flu-like illness that affects elderly adults and babies most severely. The market for adult vaccines alone could reach $11 billion by 2032, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, making it a lucrative target for drugmakers like Pfizer as sales of COVID-19 shots fade. Last year, Pfizer and GSK Plc were the first companies to reach the US market with RSV vaccines, and another made by Moderna is expected to gain U.S. approval next month.

Read More: How to Get RSV Vaccines to Those Who Need Them Most

Pfizers vaccine is now approved for adults 60 and up, as well as for use in pregnant women to protect newborns for up to six months after birth; sales were $890 million last year. Pfizer Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla said in January that he was committed to stepping up efforts to take more market share for the vaccine in 2024.

No shots have yet been approved to prevent RSV in high-risk adults ages 18 and up, though Moderna is also running a trial in a similar population. Generally, these young adults dont get as seriously ill from the virus as older people and babies do. The company is also conducting a study in immunocompromised patients 18 and older and expects to share results later this year.

Read More: The New RSV Drug Keeps Babies Out of the Hospital

Usage in younger adults would ultimately depend on the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. If the vaccine were approved, the committee would have the flexibility to modify recommendations as appropriate, said Iona Munjal, executive director of clinical vaccines R&D at Pfizer.

GSK is exploring the possibility of running a clinical trial in patients younger than 50, but is currently focused on adult populations with the highest risk of RSV, according to a spokesperson. The companyhas already filedfor FDA approval to extend RSV vaccination to adults 50 to 59 years old who are at increased risk of disease.

Pfizers trial included 681 people, roughly two-thirds of whom got one dose of the vaccine while one-third received a placebo.

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Young Adults May Soon Be Able to Get an RSV Shot - TIME

A COVID-19 vaccine is prepped at an OHSU clinic. New research from OHSU reveals a strong immune response to an updated vaccine in the fall of 2023, suggesting a clear benefit for people receiving updated vaccinations regularly, especially older adults and those with underlying medical conditions. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

New research using live SARS-CoV-2 virus reveals an updated vaccine provides a strong immune response against previous strains and emerging variants.

The findings by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University, published as a preprint in medRxiv, suggest a clear benefit in receiving updated vaccinations on a regular basis, especially among older people or those with underlying medical conditions.

Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D. (OHSU)

"The virus is still circulating, it's continuing to evolve, and it remains dangerous," said co-senior author Fikadu Tafesse, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine. "Sooner or later, there will be another variant that evades the immunity we have already built up. Our study demonstrates that it's worthwhile to update our immune repertoire."

As the pandemic has receded from public consciousness, vaccine uptake has waned in the U.S., according to federal data.

The new study is the latest in laboratory research at OHSU testing variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The project relies upon more than 2,000 university employees who have volunteered to have their blood drawn before, during and after vaccination. The research project began early in the pandemic with antibody testing.

In the latest study, researchers isolated blood drawn from 55 people before and after they received an updated vaccine beginning last fall that targets the XBB.1.5 subvariant of the omicron variant of the virus.

They found a strong response in terms of the levels of antibodies generated, and their ability to neutralize the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 plus new variants that have emerged since the novel coronavirus arrived in late 2019. Importantly, the vaccine appeared to generate a strong response against the JN.1 variant that is now circulating broadly worldwide suggesting regularly updating the vaccine will be useful in confronting emerging variants.

The study marks another milepost in the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Marcel Curlin, M.D. (OHSU)

"Overall, this work strongly supports use of the updated vaccine," said co-senior author Marcel Curlin, M.D., associate professor of medicine (infectious diseases) in the OHSU School of Medicine and medical director of OHSU Occupational Health. "In the big picture, COVID-19 is not going away but lining up alongside the other common respiratory illnesses such as flu and RSV, which cause relatively mild disease for most people and a lot of harm to a few."

In contrast to most other research studies, OHSU is among the first to test the ability of vaccine-elicited antibodies in blood serum to block infection of a live virus in a biosafety level 3 laboratory.

In addition to Tafesse and Curlin, co-authors include Xammy Huu Nguyenla, Mastura Wahedi, Timothy Bates and Mila Trank-Greene of OHSU.

The work was supported in part by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, award R01AI141549. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

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Updated Covid Vaccines Prove Effective Against Variants - Mirage News