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The Global Polio Eradication Initiative recently reported one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2)-positive environmental sample was detected in wastewater in the United Kingdom.

As of January 8, 2025, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says there is no evidence of community transmission, and the polio risk to the public in London is low.

Poliovirus surveillance is undertaken at 26 sites in the UK, with monthly sampling.

During November 2024, VDPV2 was detected in 1 sample from East Worthing Sewage Treatment Works (which covers some of West Sussex local authority and adjacent areas), in 2 samples from Leeds Knostrop Sewage Treatment Works, and 1 sample from the London Beckton Sewage Treatment Works.

As part of routine surveillance, poliovirus is detected occasionally in the UK. Brief detections do not require any public health action, as these are generally one-off findings due to:

Individuals being vaccinated overseas with the live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV) enter the UK and ‘shed’ traces of the ‘vaccine-like’ poliovirus in their feces. Immunosuppressed individuals may also shed the virus for an extended period.

And visitors entering the UK from a country where vaccine-derived polioviruses have been circulating.

The same circulating VDPV2 strain has also been recently found in sewage samples from sites in other European countries in 2024. Several countries offer OPV on exit as part of their response to polio outbreaks.

The UK switched from the OPV to the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in 2004.

In the United States, the IPV has been offered since 2000.

The U.S. CDC recommends that international travelers be fully vaccinated against polio before visiting countries of concern. In 2025, travel clinics and pharmacies will offer the IPV.

Vaccine Treats: 
Polio
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Don Hackett
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nOPV2 Polio Vaccine
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Most health experts agree that preventing vaccine-preventable diseases is key to international travel in 2025.

A new analysis by Harvard Medical School researchers demonstrates that travel clinics and pharmacies have successfully contributed to administering vaccines against pneumococcus and influenza.

This study was published yesterday in Open Forum Infectious Diseases on January 8, 2025, and revealed that 19% of vaccine-eligible travelers either received a pneumococcal vaccine or were referred to another provider to receive it.

And 40% of travelers received the influenza vaccination at their pre-travel visit or were referred to another provider.

However, there were missed opportunities for vaccination.

Over a span of 10 years, 68% of eligible international travelers were not offered the pneumococcal vaccine, and 15% were not offered the flu vaccine, even if their travel destination was in the midst of a respiratory season outbreak.

These deficiencies could be related to the differences between the seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

These researchers' findings suggest that influenza vaccines are less likely to be offered to travelers during the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, even if they are available and the person is heading to a Southern destination.

Another potential barrier is a lack of insurance coverage for the administration of non-travel vaccines. To resolve this constraint, many pharmaceutical firms offer discount programs.

As of January 9, 2025, various routine and travel vaccines are offered at travel clinics and pharmacies in the United States.

Vaccine Treats: 
Influenza
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from Pixabay 2025
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Don Hackett
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Houston
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Travel Destinations to Watch Report Updated for 2025

Chikungunya and dengue Outbreaks in 2024 caught many unvaccinated travelers by surprise
January 9, 2025
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Merck today announced China's National Medical Products Administration approved GARDASIL® Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) for use in males 9-26 years of age to help prevent certain HPV-related cancers and diseases.

This approval makes GARDASIL the first HPV vaccine approved for use in males in China as of January 8, 2025.

GARDASIL is now indicated in China to prevent anal cancers caused by HPV Types 16 and 18, genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV Types 6 and 11, and the following precancerous or dysplastic lesions caused by HPV Types 6, 11, 16, and 18: grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 anal intraepithelial neoplasia.

Joseph Romanelli, president, Human Health International, Merck, commented in a press release, “Since first approval, our HPV vaccines have helped protect over 50 million females in China from certain HPV-related cancers and diseases. With this expanded approval, we look forward to helping protect this new population of Chinese males from certain HPV-related cancers and diseases.”

Gardasil and other HPV vaccines will be in use by various countries in 2025.

Vaccine Treats: 
HPV Cancers
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from Pixabay 2025
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Karen McClorey Hackett
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China
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Gardasil 9 HPV Vaccine
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The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) today announced that the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported an increase in respiratory viral infections this season in northern China, including human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections, seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus.

Since December 2024, human metapneumovirus has affected all age groups in China. According to the ECDC, it usually causes mild to moderate respiratory illness, but the infection can sometimes be severe in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

As of January 8, 2025, the ECDC 'considers that the current epidemiological situation in China reflects a seasonal rise in respiratory infections caused by common respiratory pathogens and does not pose any specific concern for the EU/EEA (Europe).

According to the WHO, countries including India and the United Kingdom have also reported seasonal rise in cases of hMPV. Based on the current risk assessment, WHO advises against travel or trade restrictions related to current trends in acute respiratory infections.

Currently, there is no vaccine for hMPV, but annual flu shots and RSV vaccines are available at most pharmacies in the U.S.

 

Vaccine Treats: 
Influenza
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WHO -DOB - Jan. 7, 2025
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Don Hackett
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China
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The U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) today announced new advice against all travel within 20km of the Arab Republic of Egypt-Libya border, except for El Salloum, where it advises against all but essential travel.

On January 8, 2025, the U.K. confirmed travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the FCDO. 

Previously, the U.S. Department of State issued a Travel Advisory on October 15, 2024, indicating visiting Egypt was a Level 3, Reconsider Travel status due to the U.S. Embassy’s limited ability to assist dual national U.S.-Egyptian citizens.

And some areas in Egypt have increased risk, such as:

The Northern and Middle Sinai Peninsula,

The Western Desert,

Egyptian border areas.

The State Department advised keeping travel documents up to date and easily accessible and making contingency plans to leave the country without U.S. government assistance.

If you visit Egypt in 2025, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts and make locating you in an emergency easier.=

From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC advises awareness of current health issues in Egypt, such as Variant Poliovirus Type 2.

The WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travelers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents (and visitors for more than four weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine within one to twelve months of travel.

In the U.S., polio vaccinations are offered at travel clinics and pharmacies in 2025.

Vaccine Treats: 
Polio
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UK FCDO 2025
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Don Hackett
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Cairo
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nOPV2 Polio Vaccine
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Micron Biomedical today announced the company secured a $7.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that brings total grant funding from the organization to $43 million.

As of January 7, 2025, the Gates grant will support Micron’s efforts in increasing access to a measles-rubella vaccine and activities to support a phase 2 clinical trial in infants.

Micron’s technology has been recognized for its potential to have a positive global impact and be game-changing in hard-to-reach settings, such as in Africa. Micron's “peel-and-stick” microarray technology is applied to the skin and allows for the self-administration of pharmaceuticals (vaccines) by pressing a button.

A study published in The Lancet on May 11, 2024, involving Micron’s needle-free microarray technology, was the first to demonstrate the safety, immunogenicity, and acceptability of a vaccine delivered to children via any needle-free microarray technology. The research involved the leading commercially available MR vaccine.

Micron Biomedical is a clinical-stage life science company on a rapid path to commercializing its proprietary dissolvable, microarray technology.

Vaccine Treats: 
Measles
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MDX2201 Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine

MDX2201 Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine Clinical Trials, Indication, News

ModeX Therapeutics's MDX2201, an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccine candidate, is based on ModeX's ferritin nanoparticle vaccine platform, which can express as many as 24 copies of a recombinant antigen on its surface to enhance the presentation of key components of the virus and stimulate durable protective immunity. MDX2201 presents antigens from four viral proteins involved in viral entry into host cells. These include a recombinant antigen designed from the proteins gH, gL, and gp42 and an antigen derived from gp350. By using ModeX's multi-targeted approach, this combination inhibits infection in two cell types, B and epithelial cells, which contrasts with efforts previously focused on gp350 alone.

This EBV vaccine technology was the subject of preclinical data published in May 2022 in Science Translational Medicine.

ModeX, an OPKO Health company, is based in Weston, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.modextx.com. OPKO (NASDAQ: OPK) is a multinational biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company that seeks to establish industry-leading positions in large, rapidly growing markets by leveraging its discovery, development, and commercialization expertise and novel and proprietary technologies. For more information, please visit  www.opko.com.

MDX2201 Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine Indication

According to the U.S. CDC, EBV is a member of the herpes virus family and is one of the most common human viruses. Most people are infected with EBV at some point during their lives. Since over 90% of adults have been infected with EBV, most adults will show antibodies to EBV. The presence of antibodies to both VCA and EBNA suggests past infection. EBV can cause infectious mononucleosis, also called mono, and is associated with other illnesses, including some specific types of cancer and multiple sclerosis. A sample of the patient's blood is required to perform a monospot test. There are currently no U.S. FDA-approved vaccines or treatments for EBV or herpes infections.

MDX2201 Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine News

January 7, 2025 - "We are grateful to the participants and physicians who are actively engaged with Merck in our joint efforts to explore the potential of MDX2201 as a novel vaccine against EBV," said Elias Zerhouni, M.D., President and Vice Chairman of OPKO.

March 8, 2023 - OPKO Health, Inc. announced that ModeX Therapeutics, Inc., an OPKO Health company, entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement with Merck for the development of MDX-2201, ModeX's preclinical nanoparticle vaccine candidate targeting EBV.

MDX2201 Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine Clinical Trials

A Phase 1, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Dose Escalation Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of V350A and V350B in Healthy Participants.

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Manufacturer: 
ModeX Therapeutics
Reviewer: 
Robert Carlson, MD
Vaccine: 
MDX2201 Epstein-Barr Virus Vaccine
VIS: 
PDF
Generic: 
MDX2201
Drug Class: 
vaccine
Clinical Trial Phase I: 
A Study to Evaluate Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of V350A and V350B in Healthy Participants (V350-001).
Condition: 
Epstein-Barr Virus
Last Reviewed: 
Wednesday, January 8, 2025 - 08:45
Status: 
Candidate
Manufacturer Country ID: 
US
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ModeX Therapeutics Inc. today announced the dosing of the first participant in the Phase I clinical trial of an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) vaccine candidate, MDX2201.

The U.S. CDC says EBV, a member of the herpes virus family (human herpesvirus 4), is one of the most common human viruses. Most people (90%) are infected with EBV at some point during their lives. EBV infection can affect a person's brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

As of January 8, 2025, there are no U.S. FDA-approved vaccines or treatments for EBV or herpes infections.

This EBV vaccine is based on ModeX’s ferritin nanoparticle platform. Its surface can express as many as 24 copies of a recombinant antigen, enhancing the presentation of key virus components and stimulating durable protective immunity.

MDX2201 presents antigens from four viral proteins involved in viral entry into host cells. These include a recombinant antigen designed from the proteins gH, gL, and gp42 and an antigen derived from gp350.

This combination, using ModeX’s multi-targeted approach, inhibits infection in two cell types: B and epithelial cells. This contrasts with efforts previously focused on gp350 alone.

“EBV infection can cause serious illness and pose long-term risks of cancer and autoimmunity..... Our nanoparticle vaccine aims to stimulate protective immunity in patients and prevent these diseases,” said Gary Nabel, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ModeX and Chief Innovation Officer of OPKO, in a press release on January 7, 2025.

This study's (V350-001) estimated completion date is November 18, 2026.

MDX2201 is being developed in collaboration with Merck.

 

Vaccine Treats: 
Epstein Barr Virus
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ModeX Therapeutics Inc. 2025
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Don Hackett
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Boston
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BNT163 Herpes Vaccine
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Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) today announced it awarded Clarametyx Biosciences $2.6 million to develop an anti-biofilm vaccine. 

Clarametyx's CMTX-301 is a pathogen-agnostic vaccine candidate designed to prevent bacterial biofilm formation and allow the body's immune response to clear infections without antibiotics.

Biofilms enable bacteria to infect medical devices and human tissues, shielding them from natural clearance mechanisms. Bacterial biofilms are increasingly recognized to be involved in clinical infections in many body systems, including the auditory, cardiovascular, digestive, integumentary, reproductive, respiratory, and urinary systems.

"CARB-X is proud to continue supporting Clarametyx Biosciences in work to combat biofilm-associated infections, a major challenge in the fight against antibiotic resistance," said Erin Duffy, PhD, R&D Chief of CARB-X, in a press release on January 7, 2025. 

"With their novel anti-biofilm vaccine, CMTX-301, Clarametyx is taking an innovative approach that could transform how we prevent and treat these difficult-to-address infections. We look forward to seeing the impact of this program as it advances through clinical development."

CARB-X provided an initial overview of Clarametyx's work on novel anti-biofilm technologies.

Vaccine Treats: 
Bacteremia
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Clarametyx Biosciences 2025
Live Blog Update Author: 
Don Hackett
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Boston
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