Study Finds Transplant Patients Benefit From 3 Covid Vaccine Doses
In other news, Novavax says its covid vaccine remains effective when coadministered with an already-approved flu shot; Pfizer will study "breakthrough" covid cases; and Moderna starts a study at Emory University into covid vaccine boosters.
ABC News:
3 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Can Improve Immunity In Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: Study
An extra boost of a vaccine may mean more protection for organ transplant recipients in their fight against COVID-19, a new study finds. Solid organ transplant recipients, including kidney, liver, heart and lungs, are part of a larger group of immunocompromised individuals, or those with weaker immune systems. Unlike the robust immune response and protection found in their immunocompetent counterparts, these individuals have been shown to have a blunted immune response when given COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. (Rosen, 6/15)
In other vaccine-research news —
Fox News:
Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Flu Shot Coadministration Likely ‘Viable Strategy,’ Company Says
Maryland-based biotech company Novavax on Monday announced its experimental COVID-19 vaccine remained effective when coadministered with an approved flu shot. Researchers and drug makers are interested in studying coadministration and associated safety and efficacy, or giving multiple vaccines to a person during one visit, to ease logistics and help patients catch up on missed vaccinations, especially amid the pandemic. The news comes hours after Novavax announced on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine was found to be over 90% effective overall, and offered 100% protection against moderate and severe disease in a Phase 3 clinical trial. The company said it intends to file for FDA authorization in the third quarter. (Rivas, 6/14)
The Washington Post:
Pfizer To Study Vaccinated People Who Get Virus For Guidance On Booster Shots
A top Pfizer researcher said the company is looking at “breakthrough cases” of fully vaccinated people who later got infected by the coronavirus in an attempt to understand if, and when, booster shots need to be administered. “We’re going to be monitoring this closely and using immunological data, clinical data, and real world data to help us think about when a booster might be needed,” David Swerdlow, Pfizer’s clinical epidemiology lead, told a conference, according to Bloomberg Law. (Ang and Berger, 6/15)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Emory University Partners On COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
Emory University researchers are participating in a study that many public health experts believe will be an eventual step in containing the spread of COVID-19: a booster shot. Emory, which has partnered with Moderna on other COVID-19 vaccine research, is working again with the biotechnology company and using its vaccine for this research. Participants are receiving one 100 microgram dose, the same amount in each dose of its initial two-part vaccine. The research will focus on how long the COVID-19 vaccine shot will be effective and on monitoring side effects. It’s unclear how long the effectiveness lasts, but booster shots could be needed to protect against variants of the virus. (Stirgus, 6/15)
The Baltimore Sun:
Do We Need Another COVID Vaccine? Maryland Experts Say Yes, And It’s Likely On The Way
Novavax, a Gaithersburg-based pharmaceutical company, reported Monday that its coronavirus vaccine was highly effective against COVID-19 infections after testing in about 30,000 people. The trial included about 500 people followed by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and the results from the United States and Mexico follow similar positive safety and efficacy results in Europe. (Cohn, 6/15)
ABC News:
Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine: How It Works And Other Things You Should Know
Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine is a two-shot formula that can be stored at refrigerator temperatures and utilizes different technology than the United States' three existing vaccines. ... Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, meaning it uses a fragment of a harmless protein of the virus that's grown in a cell culture and stimulates an immune response. (Schumaker, 6/14)
In updates on monoclonal antibody treatments —
Reuters:
AstraZeneca Says Antibody Treatment Failed In Preventing COVID-19 In Exposed Patients
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Tuesday a study of its monoclonal antibody treatment, AZD7442, did not meet the main goal of preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people recently exposed to the novel coronavirus. The company said the participants in the trial were unvaccinated adults older than 18 years with confirmed exposure to a person with the coronavirus within the past eight days. (6/15)
