Health Reform: The race to develop a combination vaccine targeting Covid-19 is heating up

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Vaccine makers have set their sights on the next big thing: Developing combination vaccines that target both Covid and influenza.

As Covid vaccination rates in the US decline, Pfizer, Today’s and Novavax, among other companies, is hoping that simpler combo shots that provide protection against two viruses instead of one will increase exposure among Americans . Some health experts have expressed doubts about that belief, CNBC previously reported.

However, combo jabs can also reduce the burden that respiratory viruses – which tend to spread around the same time every year – place on pharmacists and the wider health system. of the US.

The race to develop these jabs is accelerating, as all three companies are testing their different vaccines in mid- or late-stage trials.

But Pfizer and its German partner BioNTtech faced a setback last week that could allow rival Moderna to continue.

Pfizer on Friday said its messenger RNA-based vaccine that combines its approved Covid-19 vaccine with an experimental flu shot failed to meet one of the main goals of a third trial in adults. more than 8,000, which could jeopardize the future of jab.

The vaccine produced a stronger immune response against influenza A than the licensed flu vaccine and was as effective against Covid as the existing vaccine. Pfizer. But the shot showed a weaker immune response against another type of flu called influenza B compared to the approved flu vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech will consider changes to the combo shot and “discuss next steps with health authorities,” according to the release.

“We remain optimistic about our COVID-19 and influenza combination program, which we are currently evaluating next steps,” Annaliesa Anderson, Pfizer’s head of vaccine research and development, said in a release. .

Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, said at a meeting in March that the company hopes to launch its compound image in 2025. It is not clear whether Friday’s results change that time frame.

If so, that could be good news for Moderna. The biotech company’s combined mRNA-based shot was successful in a recent trial in June, showing higher immune responses than the stand-alone Covid and flu shots.

Moderna plans to issue a regulatory approval for the shot and hopes to have it on the market by 2025.

“The failure of this [Pfizer and BioNTech] combo vaccine study sets [Moderna] at the forefront of mRNA combo vaccine development,” Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said in a note Friday, adding that “Pfizer’s update significantly improves the opportunities available. [Moderna’s shot] it could be the first commercially available combo mRNA vaccine.”

Pfizer’s stumble could also be good news for Novavax and Sanofiwhich collaborated earlier this year to create a combination of Covid and flu proteins. In May, Sanofi, the maker of the best flu shots, agreed to pay Novavax up to $1.2 billion up front and milestones to work on combining the companies’ vaccines.

However, there’s a chance that Pfizer can make the right tweaks to its vaccine to get it back on track toward regulatory approval. For example, Moderna’s first standalone flu vaccine also failed to show an immune response as effective as the approved vaccine against influenza B before the company made changes to overcome it. that obstacle.

We’ll be watching closely for updates on the mix shot, so stay tuned.

Feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas and information to Annika at annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.

This is Ashley, reporting live from Verona, Wisconsin!

Here I am attending the annual Epic Systems User Meeting, or UGM, for the first time, and it’s going to be an eventful day.

Epic is a healthcare software developer whose technology is used in thousands of hospitals and clinics across the country. Its 1,670-acre headquarters sits 30 minutes from Madison, and thousands of health leaders have gathered here to talk about the technology this week.

The main event will be Tuesday’s keynote address, where Epic CEO Judy Faulkner and other senior leaders will share information about the company’s latest plans. It takes place in an underground hall called “Deep Space,” which can hold more than 11,000 people.

Deep Space is the centerpiece of the infamous Epic campus, decorated with statues of wizards and buildings themed like “The Wizard of Oz” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Don’t worry, I’m off to visit some people this afternoon, so I’ll have a lot more to share about this soon.

But if that’s not enough to pique your interest, Epic’s executives will also deliver an address in costume. This year’s UGM theme is “Storytime,” according to the company’s website. Remember that the next time anyone tries to tell you that health care is boring.

In terms of announcements, I expect we’ll hear more about Epic’s work to incorporate artificial intelligence into its software. The company already has more than 60 AI innovation projects underway, according to its website, and its high-profile partnerships with leading AI companies Companies such as Abridge and Microsoft Nuance Communications have generated a lot of industry chatter this year.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nuance and Abridge are both here to attend UGM.

Epic also made waves in the health tech collaboration space this summer. The company is one of the organizations helping the federal government create the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, or TEFCA, to provide a legal and technical framework for the secure sharing of patient information.

Epic said Friday that it plans to transition all of its customers to TEFCA by the end of next year. It’s a big move: Given Epic’s incredible reach and its 45-year history in the market, the company’s commitment to TEFCA could bolster the trust of the exchange.

I bet that Epic’s leadership will affect this effort, as well as other ways the company is working to strengthen its large network.

Stay tuned for more UGM news from me this week! And if you have any tips on where to find the best cheese curds on campus, please get in touch.

Feel free to send tips, suggestions, story ideas and information to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.