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For the past few years, the question has been whether nirmatrelvir–ritonavir (Paxlovid™) conferred measurable benefits to persons who had been vaccinated or who did not have risk factors for severe COVID-19.
The New England Journal of Medicine recently published results from a phase 2/3 clinical study sponsored by Pfizer Inc. that concluded that the time to sustained alleviation of all signs and symptoms of COVID-19 did not differ significantly between participants who received nirmatrelvir–ritonavir and those who received placebo.
The median time to sustained alleviation of all targeted signs and symptoms of COVID-19 was 12 days in the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group and 13 days in the placebo group (P=0.60).
The median age of study participants was 42 years, with very few seniors involved.
On April 3, 2024, a related editorial written by Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD, and Martin Hirsch, MD, stated, 'Clearly, the benefit (from Paxlovid) observed among unvaccinated high-risk persons does not extend to those at lower risk for severe COVID-19.'
'This result supports guidelines recommending nirmatrelvir–ritonavir only for persons at high risk for disease progression.'
'The ongoing clinical burden of COVID-19 necessitates the availability of effective, easily accessible oral treatments that can shorten the time to resolution of symptoms and reduce the risk of severe COVID-19.'
According to recent media reports, global private equity firms are reportedly preparing bids of about $1 billion for Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV).
On April 6, 2024, Manufacturing Today India reported that US-based Advent International acquired BSV in 2019 and is looking to sell the company.
Mumbai-based BSV is best known for its specialized products in women’s health, critical care, IUI-IVF, hormones, antibodies, and fungal infections. In FY 2023, its revenues were Rs 1,435 crore.
Sanofi Healthcare India Pvt Ltd (SHIPL) has recently received approval from authorities to distribute the IMOVAX-Polio vaccine, aiming to avoid any polio vaccine supply constraints in India.
The Hindu confirmed on April 5, 2024, that the IMOVAX-Polio vaccine will replace the discontinued trivalent Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) ShanIP, which was launched in India in 2015.
Sanofi had previously announced that ShanIPV would discontinue in December 2023.
Access to polio vaccines is essential, as the U.S. CDC confirmed in 2024 that there have been outbreaks and poliovirus detections in 31 countries.
To help reduce the further spreading of polio, over one billion oral vaccine (nOPV2) doses have been administered in more than 35 countries. However, the nOPV2 vaccine is not available in the U.S. in 2024.
In the United States, IPV vaccines have been offered at clinics and pharmacies since 2000.
Furthermore, for certain people, the CDC recommends polio booster shots.
From a polio outbreak update, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative confirmed this week Afghanistan reported its first wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case of 2024. Afghanistan and Pakistan are among the countries where WPV1 is endemic.
As of April 3, 2024, Pakistan had reported two WPV1 cases earlier this year.
The U.S. government confirmed today that the ongoing measles outbreak in the United States is rapidly increasing.
As of April 5, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a total of 113 measles cases had been confirmed by 18 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington.
Seven outbreaks (defined as three or more related cases) were reported in 2024, and 73% are outbreak-associated.
For example, in Illinois, Chicago has reported about 58 measles cases over the past weeks.
About 58% of measles cases require hospitalization.
For comparison, in 2023, 58 measles cases were reported by 20 jurisdictions, with four outbreaks.
Internationally, the CDC listed the top ten international measles outbreaks as of March 12, 2024, led by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Yemen, and India.
Furthermore, the United Kingdom's multi-month measles outbreak is accelerating in April 2024.
And to alert international travelers, the U.S. CDC republished a Travel Health Notice in late March 2024, identifying measles outbreaks in 49 countries.
The CDC says measles is a vaccine-preventable disease.
Various measles vaccines are offered at clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.
According to an article written by Adam Tooze, in a world of polycrisis, in which intersecting problems compound each other and there are few easy wins, it is all the more important to recognise those policy choices that are truly obvious.
Funding vaccine development is one such investment.
Published by The Financial Times on April 1, 2024, this opinion article says modest expenditures on public health have saved tens of millions of lives, reduced morbidity, and allowed children around the world to develop into adults capable of living healthy and productive lives.
The complete, unedited article is posted at this link.
The reliable and timely detection of poliovirus cases is a critical component of polio eradication programs wrote the U.S. CDC.
Since 1988, the number of polio cases caused by wild poliovirus (WPV) has declined by 99.9%, and eradication of WPV serotypes 2 and 3 has been certified.
On April 4, 2024, a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report confirmed only WPV1 continues to circulate, and transmission remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
During 2022–2023, among 28 priority countries, 71.4% met national surveillance indicator targets, and the number of environmental surveillance sites increased.
However, the CDC says that maintaining high-quality surveillance is critical to increasing this rate and achieving the goal of global polio eradication.
To strengthen the fight against polio, health ministers from across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region gathered in late March 2024 for the 10th meeting of the Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks.
"One of my key priorities as your Regional Director is to strengthen our region's public health capacities so that you have all the tools not only to end the transmission of polio but also to ensure that polio can indeed never make a comeback," commented Dr. Hanan Balkhy in a media release.
Another component of polio eradication is vaccinations.
According to the CDC, two types of polio vaccines are in use in 2024.
While the inactivated (killed) polio vaccine is offered in clinics and pharmacies in the U.S., over 1 billion novel oral polio vaccinations have recently occurred.
The nOPV2 vaccine has been offered in more than 35 countries worldwide.
The nOPV2 vaccine is being deployed under the WHO's pre-qualified Emergency Use Listing procedure, the first use for a polio vaccine.
Throughout the global measles outbreak in 2024, about 49 countries have reported cases.
Unfortunately, the United Kingdom is rapidly becoming a leader.
On April 4, 2024, the U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported 269 measles cases in January 2024, 231 in February, and 224 (to date) in March 2024.
In total, there have been 934 measles cases since October 2023.
About 54% of these cases have been in the West Midlands and 21% in London.
Dr. Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist, offered these insights in a press release, "We are continuing to see measles cases in all regions of England, with cases particularly high in the West Midlands and London, so it is vital that two doses of the MMR vaccine fully protect people."
"It only takes one case to get into a community with low vaccination rates for measles to spread rapidly, especially in schools and nurseries."
"We know that hundreds of thousands of children around the country, particularly in some inner-city areas, are still not fully vaccinated and are at risk of serious illness or life-long complications, but measles is completely preventable with vaccination."
Worldwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed the top ten international measles outbreaks as of March 12, 2024, led by Kazakhstan (21,740), followed by Azerbaijan, Yemen, and India.
To alert international travelers, the CDC republished a global Watch-Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Notice on March 22, 2024, identifying measles outbreaks in numerous countries.
In the United States, Chicago, Illinois, continues leading the measles outbreak in 2024.
As of April 3, 2024, Illinois has reported 56 measles cases this year, including the Chicago Department of Public Health (53) measles cases.
In the U.S., measles vaccines are generally available at clinics and community pharmacies.
Morris & Dickson today announced it became the first U.S. commercial distributor of the JYNNEOS® vaccine. This second-generation vaccine is U.S. FDA-approved to prevent mpox and smallpox disease.
On April 3, 2024, Morris & Dickson confirmed receiving the first U.S. shipment of JYNNEOS vaccines.
This vaccine must be safely stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Morris & Dickson's state-of-the-art distribution techniques feature this storage and transport capability.
"We are proud to be a key partner in expanding access to this first-to-market vaccine," says Layne Martin, CEO of Head of Specialty at Morris & Dickson, in a press release.
"JYNNEOS meets a critical public health need and helps ensure equitable access to healthcare, which in turn helps significantly prevent the spread of mpox to at-risk populations."
As of April 2024, U.S. healthcare providers in the U.S. can order JYNNEOS to make it available for at-risk individuals at local pharmacies and physician offices in addition to public health clinics.
In 2023, the U.S. CDC confirmed that the effectiveness of the JYNNEOS vaccine against mpox ranges from 36% to 75% after one dose and 66% to 89% for two doses. As of 2024, third-dose boosters have not been clinically approved.
Founded in 1841, Morris & Dickson is now approaching $6 billion in annual sales, making it the industry's largest independently owned full-line distributor. Independent pharmacies in the U.S. rely on Morris & Dickson for quick responses and straightforward business practices.
Since the global mpox outbreak began in early May 2022, more than 32,000 cases have been reported in the U.S., representing a third of all cases reported worldwide.
Bavarian Nordic's JYNNEOS (MVA-BN®, IMVAMUNE®) vaccine is available in various countries.
