What emerges from the data from Moderna and Israel on the third dose of the vaccine

Moderna has delivered its study to the US health authorities, while the new vaccination campaign in Israel seems capable of putting a stop to the fourth wave

(photo: V-3-8-N-1 from Pixabay) Do we need a new anti-Covid vaccine booster to counter the spread of the delta variant? Nothing is official yet, but the data arriving at this time seem to promote the so-called third dose. Moderna announced that it has conducted a clinical study that would show that administering a third reduced dose of its vaccine significantly increases the levels of antibodies that are also effective against the delta variant, and that it has shared efficacy data with Food and US Drug Administration (Fda) to receive authorization.

Even the data from Israel, which a month ago started the recall campaign with Pfizer for the over 60s and now also for the over 12s, seem more than good, with the risk of coronavirus positivity falling by 84% 20 days after the administration of the vaccine. Regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe are preparing to quickly analyze the data, while our Ministry of Health announces a new round of vaccinations in the fall starting with the most fragile and health workers.

Recall with mRna vaccines under consideration

Moderna has just announced the results of its own clinical study which aimed to verify the effects of a second booster of its anti-Covid vaccine . The pharmaceutical company reports that it has experienced a third dose of the product reduced by 50% (i.e. from 100 micrograms of mRna to 50 micrograms) and that the preliminary data indicate that the administration has the effect of a marked increase in the antibody response effective against the delta variant.

Researchers injected the booster to about 350 people who had been involved in the original study and found an immune response with neutralizing antibody production better than that observed after the second dose, with a similar safety profile. With the application for authorization submitted to the FDA, Moderna also intends to apply to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other authorities in the world.

Moderna arrives shortly after Pfizer-Biontech, which has already submitted an application to authorize the administration of the third dose of its product. The FDA is speeding up the verification times (also due to political pressure with the White House which says it intends to start a new vaccination campaign as soon as possible) and will hold a public meeting on September 17. It is not known whether Moderna will also be discussed on that occasion, reports Reuters.

Israeli data

Despite the massive vaccination campaign, Israel is the scene of the fourth wave of this pandemic driven by the delta variant, the most contagious and aggressive to date. To try to stem its spread, the government already at the end of July decided to start a new immunization campaign with another recall of the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine, at least 5 months after the second dose. It started with the over-60s and then extended to the rest of the over-12 population.

Preliminary results are finally coming and the study conducted by experts from Maccabi Healthcare Services and the Yale School of Public is just available Health, although it has not yet been peer-reviewed. For scientists, the drop in protection 5-6 months after the second dose can be compensated for by a new booster, which reduces the risk of infection by 48-68% within 7-13 days after administration compared to risk of those who stop at the second dose. After 14-20 days, protection is further increased and the risk of having a positive swab is reduced by 70-84%.

Although Israel is still in the midst of its fourth wave, the increase in immunizations with a new recall according to experts, it should have positive effects on the evolution of the epidemiological curve.

What the Ema decided

Waiting to see the new data, the European Agency of the drug (Ema) does not change its position on the administration of a further booster of the anti-Covid vaccine. The information on the effectiveness in the prevention of cases of serious illness, hospitalizations and deaths is still scarce, also because there is not only the antibody immune response (even if this decline over time other forms of immunity equally effective in fighting the infection may persist. and there are studies in progress).

Therefore, in its latest report Ema reiterates that for the moment the priority remains that of completing the vaccination cycle already approved for the suitable population. However, in the light of the preliminary results of studies on fragile populations (immunosuppressed, transplanted, etc.), the possibility of using an extra dose for the elderly and people with conditions that have compromised a good immune response should be considered right now. at the end of the approved vaccination cycle.

The line drawn by Ema is followed by the statements of the advisor to the Minister of Health, Walter Ricciardi, which envisages a new phase of immunization in the autumn for the fragile categories and probably later for the health workers, the first to be vaccinated. "The strategic objective - Ricciardi told Sky Tg24 - is to vaccinate the vast majority of Italians within the year. At the moment we are at 71%, we must exceed the 80% quota, which is the minimum objective to guarantee some security to the country, but the optimal one would be at 90% ".

This is not means that in the autumn there will be a call for everyone, the Undersecretary of Health Pierpaolo Sileri reiterated in an interview with Morning News, but "it is possible that going forward the industry will provide us with third doses that will probably be adapted to the variants found in future ”.


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Topics

Coronavirus Health Coronavirus vaccine Sars-Cov-2 variants globalData.fldTopic = "Coronavirus, Health, Coronavirus Vaccine, Sars-Cov-2 Variants"

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