New vaccine trial data was presented during an oral session at the 34th European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global (formerly ECCMID) conference in Barcelona, Spain. The session consisted of speakers showcasing breakthroughs in vaccine development across a variety of therapeutic areas, including the cardiovascular effects of pneumococcal vaccination, and malaria.
One researcher, Annabel Niessen of Utrecht University, discussed the results of a post-hoc analysis of the CAPITA-study (n=84,000). Data shows that while administration of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in adults 65 years of age and older significantly reduced the risk of pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive disease, it was not associated with any theorised effects of declined cardiovascular mortality. This finding will prevent unnecessary use of pneumococcal vaccination to induce cardiovascular protection in older adults, decreasing the toll of vaccine hesitancy and fatigue seen worldwide. This is especially important as vaccine hesitancy was heavily increased during the Covid-19 pandemic and resulted in a decrease in the uptake of critical vaccinations in areas such as influenza.
Dr. Mehreen Datoo of Oxford University discussed another significant breakthrough regarding a new malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M. In a Phase IIb study conducted in Nanoro, Burkina Faso, the vaccine’s high efficacy was maintained after four years of follow-up following administration to children aged 5–17 months old. In Nanoro, the disease burden of malaria in children under five years old is extreme, with an estimated eight cases occurring per minute, and one death every three hours. The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India, leveraging Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant, was designed in 2011 as a potential improvement on the RTS, S/AS01 malaria vaccine. RTS, S/AS01, which was designed in the 1980s, is associated with low efficacy, at only 36.3% over four years. For R21/Matrix-M, a durable efficacy of 64% against all cases with 71% efficacy against the first malaria episode, was observed over four years with four doses of the vaccine. This is a tremendous achievement and has the potential to save millions of lives, especially in regions where children are most vulnerable to this disease. Currently, over 25 million doses of R21/Matrix-M have been manufactured and are ready for roll-out in the coming months.
Continued advancement in vaccine technologies could lead to quicker and more effective responses to future pandemics and offer novel solutions for increasing protection against common infectious diseases. The clinical successes of novel vaccines may also attract more investors and incentivise larger pharma players to enter this space.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData