Cancer Vaccine Breaking News

The World Health Organization (CDC) Technical Advisory Group for COVID-19 Vaccine Composition today announced its advice on the composition of future formulations of COVID-19 vaccines.

The objective of an update to COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition is to enhance vaccine-induced immune responses.

Updating the vaccine composition considers the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 beta coronavirus variants and aims to improve protection against symptomatic disease.  

The Group suggests that future formulations of COVID-19 vaccines use newer variants in their composition, i.e., XBB.1 descendant lineages.  

As of May 2023, the XBB.1 descendent lineages currently predominate globally (i.e., XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, XBB.1.9).

Furthermore, estimates of vaccine efficacy (VE) against currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including XBB.1 descendent lineages, are very limited in terms of the number of studies, vaccine products evaluated, and populations assessed; some studies show similar VE against BA.5 descendent and XBB.1 descendent lineages, while others suggest reduced VE during periods of the predominance of XBB.1 descendent lineages.

Additionally, the TAG-CO-VAC continues to encourage the further development of vaccines that enhance mucosal immunity because they may improve protection against infection and reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, in alignment with the WHO Global COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, published in July 2022. 

On May 18, 2023, the WHO stated the current COVID-19 vaccines continue to be highly protective against severe disease and death. 

And the WHO strongly encourages the use of available authorized COVID-19 vaccines, which include the index SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to recommendations from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, updated in March 2023.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today published the Briefing Document for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) review of ABRYSVO™, a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine.

Pfizer Inc.'s ABRYSVO is a bivalent vaccine candidate comprised of two preF proteins selected to optimize protection against RSV A and B. 

This digital meeting is scheduled for May 18, 2023, and starts at 8:30 AM ET and is open to the public.

The VRBPAC provides independent expert advice to the FDA on broad scientific topics or certain products to help the agency make sound decisions based on the available science.

GSK's AREXVY™ RSV OA single-dose RSV vaccine was previously approved by the FDA for seniors.

Furthermore, there are several other RSV vaccine candidates conducting late-stage studies.

Update May 18, 2023 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - This document summarizes the favorable benefit-risk profile for Pfizer’s RSVpreF (Abrysvo), a bivalent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) stabilized prefusion F subunit vaccine (RSVpreF) for the proposed indication for prevention of lower respiratory tract disease and severe lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in infants from birth through 6 months of age, by active immunization of pregnant individuals.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reissued its Watch - Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions notice regarding the ongoing worldwide measles outbreak.

As of May 16, 2023, the CDC has compiled an extensive list of countries reporting measles outbreaks in 2023.

This list is led by India, with about 68,000 measles cases.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.

The measles virus can live for up to two hours in airspace after an infected person leaves an area.

Furthermore, people can spread measles up to four days before and four days after a rash.

While there have only been ten measles cases in the U.S. this year, this virus remains a risk to anyone under-vaccinated.

The CDC says all international travelers, including infants and preschool-aged children, should be protected against measles before traveling abroad.

Various measles vaccines are offered in the U.S. at clinics and community pharmacies.

YS Biopharma Co., Ltd. today announced its PIKA Rabies Vaccine candidate received Phase 3 clinical trial approval from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.

The PIKA Rabies Vaccine has the potential to become the first accelerated three-visit one-week regimen, superior to the currently available vaccine with a five-visit one-month or three-visit three-week regimen.

Dr. Zenaida Mojares, Chief Medical Officer of YS Biopharma, commented in a press release on May 16, 2023, "Our progress enables us to advance towards our mission of providing innovative and efficacious vaccines in the fight against a vaccine-preventable rabies disease, with almost 100% case fatality rate."

Rabies is a zoonotic infection that is a vaccine-preventable viral disease. Unfortunately, almost 60,000 people worldwide die from rabies each year.

The number of human rabies deaths in the United States has been steadily declining since the 1970s thanks to animal control (bats and dogs) and vaccination programs, says the U.S. CDC.

Up to 95% of human deaths occur in Africa and Asia, where dog rabies is poorly controlled, says the WHO.

The Company has completed Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials of its PIKA Rabies Vaccine in Singapore. Another Phase 1 trial was also conducted in China. All three trials have shown that the PIKA rabies vaccine is safe, tolerable, and immunogenic.

In the U.S., various rabies vaccines are available at clinics and community pharmacies.

Note: Starting February 1, 2023, the temporary suspension for dogs entering the U.S. from high-risk countries for dog rabies was extended. This includes dogs arriving from countries without a high risk of rabies if the dogs have been in a high-risk country in the past six months. 

The Timatic interactive world map is designed to guide you through identifying requirements and is made available for information purposes only as of May 15, 2023.

This COVID-19 map is updated regularly, and due to the ever-changing nature of the regulations, we strongly advise that you check with your airline before you travel.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO published its weekly epidemiological update #142, which confirmed over 2.7 million new cases and over 17 000 deaths were reported in the last 28 days.

This data indicates a decrease of 14% and 17%, respectively, compared to the previous period. 

The WHO says the global picture is mixed at the regional level, with increases in reported cases seen in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions and decreases in other areas.

As of May 7, 2023, over 765 million confirmed cases and over 6.9 million deaths have been reported globally.

Furthermore, various COVID-19 vaccines remain available in most countries.

VBI Vaccines Inc. today announced the expansion of its 3-antigen hepatitis B vaccine and increased sales. PreHevbrio™ is the only 3-antigen hepatitis B vaccine available as of May 15, 2023, comprised of the three surface antigens of the hepatitis B virus – S, pre-S1, and pre-S2.

This innovative vaccine is approved for use in the U.S., European Union/European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Canada, and Israel under the brand names PreHevbrio™ (U.S./Canada), PreHevbri® (EU/EEA/UK), and Sci-B-Vac® (Israel).

In the U.S., PreHevbrio is now available for purchase at six retail pharmacy chains, including Costco, RiteAid, Walmart, and three of the top 10 regional retail pharmacy networks, as well as through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and at certain military treatment facilities.

PreHevbrio increased the total number of customer orders in Q1 2023 by 170% compared to Q4 2022.

In a press release, Jeff Baxter, VBI's President, and CEO, commented, "We continue to make good progress across all three endeavors, and I am especially excited to note the increase in the use of PreHevbrio in the U.S."

"With an ever-expanding access and distribution network in place and our focus on commercial execution, we expect to see this momentum continue throughout 2023 and beyond."

Furthermore, the Fance-based specialty vaccine company Valneva SE distributes PreHevbri throughout select European countries, which includes the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Kamal Shah, with the United Nations Children's Fund Polio Eradication Program in Afghanistan, told Azadi Radio on May 11, 2023, that a four-year-old child was infected with polio in Nangarhar. 

He added, "There is a risk that the polio virus will spread to other regions of the country. That's why we request all people to vaccinate their children in the upcoming campaign that will start next Monday to save them from contracting polio."

According to the Afghanistan Ministry of Health, two polio patients were confirmed in 2022, four in 2021, and 56 in 2020.

As of March 2023, over 500,000 people were served in health facilities and hospitals supported by WHO in Afghanistan. 

The U.S. CDC confirmed on March 22, 2023, polio continued to be an international concern and issued a Level 2 Travel Advisory.

Before traveling to any destination listed, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of a polio vaccine.

Various polio vaccines are available in 2023.