Research Roundup: New COVID vaccine approved, New drug-resistant TB regimens, Mass azithromycin distribution
Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC)
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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that target the KP.2 virus strain, which emerged from the highly contagious JN.1 variant that began circulating widely in the United States last winter. The new shots are expected to be available within days amid spiking case rates and hospitalizations for COVID-19. Experts also hope the vaccines will provide cross-protection against closely related subtypes of the virus, including KP.3.1.1 and KP.3, which are now spreading rapidly and account for 36 and 17 percent of all new cases, respectively. The FDA has not yet approved a third vaccine from drugmaker Novavax.
WHO recommends three shorter, oral treatments for drug-resistant TB Health Policy Watch (8/22)
The World Health Organization (WHO) this week recommended three new oral regimens for multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (TB) that can cure patients more quickly and successfully than the current painful injectable regimens. These regimens—which include the use of new and repurposed medicines like bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid, and delamanid—can be offered to nearly all patients and can improve treatment success by shortening treatment time to six to nine months, rather than the usual 18 months, while reducing treatment toxicity and the spread of drug-resistant forms of TB. WHO’s recommendations are based on results from the BEAT-TB clinical trial conducted in South Africa and the endTB trial conducted in seven countries between 2017 and 2023 by Médecins Sans Frontières, Partners In Health, and Interactive Research and Development and funded by Unitaid.
Trial supports mass azithromycin distribution to all kids under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa CIDRAP (8/22)
A new study found that giving azithromycin to all children up to five years old can greatly reduce childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, more so than by limiting the distribution of the antibiotic to younger children, as recommended by WHO. The study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that twice-yearly distribution of azithromycin to children ages 1 to 59 months in rural communities in Niger reduced childhood mortality by 14 percent when compared with children who received a placebo.?Further, the study found that targeting only children ages 1 to 11 months (recommended by WHO in 2020) did not lead to a significant reduction in childhood mortality. However, concerns remain about the effect of routinely distributing the antibiotic to all children under five on antimicrobial resistance.
NEWS FROM GHTC
First Nigerian manufacturer obtains WHO prequalification for key malaria prevention drug Medicines for Malaria Venture press release (8/21)
What is kala-azar, and why are health experts alarmed by its rising spread? Devex (8/20), features the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative?
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
High-dose, adjuvanted flu vaccines better protect seniors from symptoms, hospital stays, study finds CIDRAP?(8/23)
COVID vaccine efficacy against severe illness just under 50%, per early estimates from 2023 CIDRAP (8/20)
What is oropouche virus? CDC warns of cases linked to South America travel Medical Xpress (8/20)
AVIAN FLU R&D ROUNDUP
How US farms could start a bird flu pandemic New York Times (8/21)
领英推荐
Cambodia reports fatal H5N1 avian flu case CIDRAP (8/20)
MPOX R&D ROUNDUP
Africa to finally receive first batch of vaccines for deadly mpox virus The Guardian?(8/25)
Why mpox vaccines aren’t flowing to Africans in desperate need The New York Times?(8/23)
US announces more support for Africa's mpox response CIDRAP (8/21)
Roche ramps up lab testing capacity for mpox worldwide following WHO declaration Fierce Biotech (8/21)
Emergent pledges 50K doses of smallpox vax to help address mpox outbreak in Africa Fierce Pharma (8/20)
Bavarian Nordic set to provide 10M doses of Jynneos to Africa amid current mpox outbreak Fierce Pharma (8/19)
Europe, China brace for new strain of mpox Axios (8/19)
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 28 Webinar: "Urine trouble? Opportunities to improve urine-based diagnostics for infectious diseases" Virtual
August 29 Webinar: "Let's talk LEN: What global advances in HIV prevention mean for black communities in the US" Virtual
September 17-18 2024 National Health Research Forum Virtual; Washington, DC
October 8-10 Global Forum on TB Vaccines Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
November 13-17 ASTMH Annual Meeting New Orleans, Louisiana
December 5 GHIT R&D Forum 2024 Tokyo, Japan
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