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01 / 05
Scientists Begin Testing Bird Flu Vaccine in Seals

New York Times | Vaccination

Scientists Begin Testing Bird Flu Vaccine in Seals

“Wildlife veterinarians have begun testing bird flu vaccines in marine mammals, which have suffered enormous losses in the ongoing global outbreak. The first trial, which began in July, is tiny, enrolling just six northern elephant seals that were already being rehabilitated at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif.

But if the results are promising, the researchers hope to quickly begin vaccinating wild Hawaiian monk seals, an endangered species that they fear could be wiped out by the virus.

Just 1,600 of the seals remain in the wild, living primarily around a remote chain of Hawaiian islands. Over the coming weeks, scores of migrating birds will arrive in the Aloha State, potentially bringing the virus with them.”

From New York Times.

BBC | Vaccination

Fridge-Free Vaccine Successfully Tested in Humans

“Vaccines that do not need to be kept cool in a fridge have been successfully trialled in patients for the first time, say UK scientists.

Currently, most vaccines need to be refrigerated or frozen – but around half are wasted each year, mainly because they become unusable after getting too hot or too cold.

In the trial, which involved 60 volunteers, company Stablepharma converted a liquid tetanus-diphtheria vaccine into a 'fridge-free' version by keeping it as a dry powder for a year at room temperature before mixing it with water and injecting it.”

From BBC.

Wall Street Journal | Vaccination

FDA Approves First mRNA Flu Vaccine

“The Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine Wednesday for adults ages 50 and older, clearing the first shot of its kind after a review process that nearly collapsed in February.

The vaccine, called mFlusiva, uses the same messenger RNA technology as Moderna’s Covid-19 shots. It could reach pharmacies in time for the coming flu season, which typically starts in the fall…

Traditional flu shots are grown in chicken eggs, a process that takes about six months and forces manufacturers to guess months in advance which strains will circulate. Moderna’s mRNA shot can be made in as little as two to three months, meaning it could better match the actual virus once flu season arrives…

In a study of more than 40,000 adults, mFlusiva cut the risk of flu by 26.6% compared with a standard-dose vaccine. That reduction was 47.9% against flu severe enough to send patients to the hospital or urgent care.”

From Wall Street Journal.

Reuters | Vaccination

Takedas Qdenga Becomes First Dengue Vaccine Approved India

“Takeda Pharmaceutical's dengue vaccine Qdenga has been approved by India's drug regulator, making it the first such vaccine to be cleared in the country, the Japanese drugmaker's ​India unit said on Monday.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease and one of the fastest-spreading ‌vector-borne illnesses globally. The World Health Organization reported a record 14.4 million dengue cases and 11,201 deaths worldwide in 2024, including 232,425 cases and 233 deaths in India…

Reported dengue cases in India rose 11-fold ​in the past two decades, according to Takeda Biopharmaceuticals India.

Qdenga, designed to protect against all four dengue virus serotypes, is indicated for the prevention of dengue in children and adults aged 4 to 60 years, the company said.

In a late-stage trial, the vaccine, approved ​in 43 countries so far, showed an efficacy of 80.2% against confirmed dengue cases one year after the second ​dose.

It also showed 90.4% efficacy against dengue-related hospitalizations after 18 months, meeting the secondary end-point of the study, according to the ‌company.”

From Reuters.

Reuters | Vaccination

Serum Institute Partners with Gates MRI to Make TB Vaccine

“Serum Institute of India said on Thursday it would manufacture an experimental tuberculosis vaccine under an ​agreement with the Gates Medical Research Institute, in what is ‌likely to be the first new TB shot in more than 100 years if approved.

The novel vaccine candidate, M72/AS01E, has been in development for two decades and ​is currently in a late-stage clinical trial.

Serum Institute plans to invest ​more than $100 million to scale up manufacturing capacity and prepare ⁠for future vaccine supply, pending approval, the company said.

Under the agreement, ​Gates MRI, founded by the Gates Foundation, will transfer the technology and ​know-how needed to manufacture the vaccine antigen and enable large-scale production, Serum Institute said.”

From Reuters.