Cancer Vaccine Breaking News

For a few decades, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has been a standard, effective, low-cost immunotherapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

However, the 100-year-old BCG vaccine alone did not help all patients with bladder cancer recover.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ANKTIVA®, with BCG, for the treatment of patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC with carcinoma in situ (CIS), with or without papillary tumors.

An Original Research article published in the Journal of Urology, January 1, 2026, edition, demonstrates efficacy at 12 and 36 months, including disease-free survival, disease-specific survival, long-term progression-free survival, and high cystectomy avoidance in patients with BCG-unresponsive high-grade papillary-only NMIBC.

These researchers stated the findings also show tolerable safety consistent with BCG treatment alone, with 3% grade 3 and no grade 4 or 5 treatment-related adverse events.

"Patients with BCG-unresponsive papillary-only non-muscle invasive bladder cancer have few treatment options, with cystectomy being considered the definitive treatment," said lead author Sam S. Chang, M.D., Professor of Urology and Chief Surgical Officer of the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, in a press release on December 16, 2025.

"Prolongation of progression-free survival, disease-specific free survival, and avoidance of bladder removal are clinically meaningful goals of next-generation chemotherapy-free immunotherapy."

"Our findings provide evidence that ANKTIVA plus BCG would offer a novel and efficacious treatment option for these patients."

ANKTIVA is currently approved in the USA and the United Kingdom, and has a Conditional Marketing Authorization in the European Union, with BCG, for the treatment of patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC with CIS, with or without papillary tumors.

"The evidence that CIS and papillary disease are clonally linked, combined with the QUILT-3.032 findings showing long-term cystectomy avoidance, sustained avoidance of progression to muscle-invasive disease, and 96% bladder cancer-specific survival at three years, supports the consideration that ANKTIVA plus BCG addresses the unmet need for patients with papillary disease alone who face the prospect of total radical cystectomy following failure of BCG therapy," added Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Founder, Executive Chairman and Global Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of ImmunityBio.

Senior leaders at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) convened a Lyme disease roundtable today, bringing together federal leaders, members of Congress, clinicians, researchers, innovators, and patient advocates for a public discussion on YouTube regarding the future of Lyme disease care and policy. 

Since its detection in Lyme, Connecticut, in the late 1960s, this tick-transmitted virus has spread throughout the Northeast and into the upper Midwest of the United States. Lyme is also detected in various European countries.

On December 15, 2025, the Global Lyme Alliance Chief Scientific Officer will be in attendance to offer research integrity and patient perspectives central to the conversation.

A related HHS media statement confirmed 'This roundtable represents an important moment in national Lyme disease dialogue and underscores the growing recognition that addressing Lyme disease requires collaboration across medicine, public health, government, and patient advocacy.'

According to various information sources, a Lyme disease vaccine candidate has advanced to late-stage, phase 3 clinical studies. Analysts indicate there is significant consumer demand for this innovative vaccine in 2026.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently released a briefing note informing countries about the increasing circulation of the influenza A(H3N2) subclade K (J.2.4.1) virus.

The PAHO noted in a media release that the genetic evolution observed in subclade K is part of the natural variation in seasonal influenza viruses.

As of December 12, 2025, in North America, particularly in the United States and Canada, there has been a gradual increase in detections of subclade K. As of now, similar circulation levels have not been reported in South American countries.

While evidence on vaccine effectiveness for the current season remains limited, preliminary data from Europe suggest that vaccination continues to offer comparable protection against severe disease, including hospitalization, wrote the PAHO.

The ECDC previously wrote that compared to previous years, influenza is increasing unusually early in the EU/EEA, with A(H3N2) driving the increases in recent weeks. Even if a less well-matched A(H3N2) virus dominates this winter, the vaccine is still expected to protect against severe disease.

The U.S. CDC wrote last week that subclade J.2.4.1, renamed "H3N2 subclade K," was identified in August 2025. Of the 401 influenza A viruses subtyped during Week #49 in the USA, 14.% were influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, and 86.0% were A(H3N2).

These viruses have slight changes in their hemagglutinin gene and have been antigenically characterized as "antigenically drifted" in comparison to the virus selected as the A(H3N2) component of the U.S. 2025-26 seasonal influenza vaccines.

The CDC reaffirmed its recommendation that most people in the USA, and those traveling abroad for the winter holidays, get an annual flu shot.

As the first part of the 2025-2026 influenza season comes to a close, three states have been classified as having flu outbreaks by the U.S. government.

According to the U.S. CDC FluView Week 49 report, ending December 6, 2025. Colorado, Louisiana, and New York are seeing significant numbers of influenza detections.

Additionally, the CDC reported two influenza-associated pediatric deaths during Week 49.

Furthermore, there is an early indication that this season's flu shots are effective.

Early estimates of 2025-26 influenza vaccine effectiveness in England against influenza-associated hospitalization remained within expected ranges of 70-75% for children and 30-40% for adults, suggesting that influenza vaccination remains an effective tool in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations this season.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older who has not yet been vaccinated this season get an annual influenza vaccine. This advice is especially valid when living in or visiting an area with a flu outbreak.

As of December 14, 2025, about 127 million doses of influenza vaccine have been distributed in the USA this season, and they are readily available at travel clinics and pharmacies.

Throughout 2025, Chikungunya fever outbreaks have been reported in countries that border the Indian Ocean. From Madagascar to France's La Réunion Department, locally-acquired and travel-related cases have set new records.

To alert international travelers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions, Travel Health Notice regarding the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka's ongoing Chikungunya fever outbreak.

Sri Lanka is located just south of India, home to about 21 million residents, and welcomed over 2 million visitors in 2024.

Earlier in 2025, a non-peer-reviewed study identified virus mutations that may be the source of these outbreaks.

These researchers wrote in May 2025 that the ongoing large outbreak in Sri Lanka is due to the Indian Ocean lineage and the E1:K211E/E2:V264A sublineage of the Chikungunya virus, which has acquired specific, previously uncharacterized mutations.

As of December 8, 2025, the CDC says that if you are pregnant, you should reconsider travel to the affected areas, particularly if you are close to delivering your baby. Mothers infected around the time of delivery can pass the virus to their baby before or during delivery.

Furthermore, newborns infected in this way or by a mosquito bite are at risk for severe illness, including poor long-term outcomes.

As of December 13, 2025, the CDC recommends vaccination with a U.S. FDA-approved vaccine for travelers visiting an area with a Chikungunya outbreak. Vaccines are commercially available at travel clinics in the USA.

According to local media, the Romanian Ministry of Health has reported two confirmed cases of leprosy, and two other suspected cases are undergoing evaluation.

These are Romania's first eprosy cases in more than 40 years.

Romaina-Insider reported Corina Criste, director of the Cluj Public Health Directorate, told Agerpres on December 12, 2025, that a case of leprosy was detected in Cluj-Napoca, he second-most populous city in the European country.

Health minister Alexandru Rogobete said he has ordered intensified epidemiological surveillance, expanded testing of contacts, evaluations of the working and living conditions of foreign employees, and the request for international assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO says leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, remains rare in Europe and is typically recorded among people originating from endemic regions in Asia, Africa, or Latin America.

In the United States, leprosy (Hansen's disease) is a nationally notifiable condition. Annually, the U.S. CDC detects around 150-250 cases of leprosy, with 225 in 2023 and 205 in 2024.

In 2025, Florida reported 36 leprosy cases, highlighting local transmission, especially in Brevard County.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health in Hong Kong has announced that relevant departments will be conducting intensified mosquito control and prevention efforts along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails, a popular hiking area.

Published on December 9, 2025, this health alert is related to CHP's confirmation of a total of 78 chikungunya fever (CF) cases in 2025.

Among them, 10 were local cases, which were initially detected in late October 2025.

 On December 7, 2025, the CHP wrote that some confirmed CF cases had reportedly been bitten by mosquitoes while hiking along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails. These trails are situated in a countryside environment and cover a vast area, with the trails stretching approximately 7,000 metres. Along both sides of the trails, there are various natural breeding grounds for vectors, including puddles on soil surfaces and fallen leaves, which increase the risk of mosquito breeding.

This area is located east of Hong Kong Disneyland and northwest of the city of Hong Kong, which has welcomed over 40 million visitors this year.

The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems, stated the CHP.

Chikungunya is a mosquito-transmitted disease that is also vaccine-preventable.

As of December 12, 2025, chikungunya vaccines are offered at travel clinics in the United States and various countries.