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 Antibody levels are higher after Moderna vaccine
The mRNA vaccine from Moderna Inc induces higher levels of
antibodies against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 than the
similar vaccine from Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE, Belgian
researchers have found, although what this means for their efficacy
is not clear. Soon after receiving their second shot, the 688
healthcare workers who got Moderna's vaccine had antibody levels
roughly twice as high as the 959 who received the Pfizer/BioNTech
product, regardless of their ages, doctors at a Belgian medical
center reported. This held true even after accounting for individual
risk factors, and regardless of whether participants had previously
been infected with the virus, the researchers reported on Monday in
JAMA https://bit.ly/38wJcdI. Antibodies are just one component
https://www.reuters.com/business/
healthcare-pharmaceuticals/mrna-vaccines-trigger-backup-immune-response-some-cancer-drugs-may-help-2021-08-25
of the immune system's defenses, however. The study cannot determine
whether one vaccine is more effective at preventing infection or
illness, or whether the antibodies induced stay longer in the blood
before disappearing. Those questions, and others, require further
investigation, the researchers said.
Arthritis drug adds to benefit of steroids in severe illness
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients died less often if they received Eli
Lilly and Co's rheumatoid arthritis drug baricitinib along with the
other treatments their doctors had prescribed, according to a study
published on Wednesday in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine https://bit.ly/38vos5Z.
The randomized trial involved 1,525 seriously ill patients, all of
whom needed extra oxygen to help with breathing. More than 90% were
already receiving dexamethasone, a cheap generic steroid known to
improve survival of critically ill COVID-19 patients. While
baricitinib, sold under the brand name Olumiant, did not appear to
keep patients from getting sicker, it did reduce their risk of
dying.
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 The 28-day and 60-day death
rates were 5% lower among patients randomly
assigned to receive baricitinib instead of a
placebo. Baricitinib is already approved in the
United States for use in hospitalized COVID-19
patients in combination with Gilead Science's
antiviral drug remdesivir. The two drugs
together appear to have more benefit https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-science/flu-outbreaks-may-be-linked-to-covid-19-arthritis-drug-benefit-seen-idUSKBN26538P
than remdesivir alone. In the new study, more
than 80% of participants were not receiving
remdesivir, suggesting that baricitinib also
"has synergistic effects with other
standard-of-care treatments," including
dexamethasone, researchers said.
Vaccine poses low risk for adults with high-risk allergies
Highly allergic adults can safely receive the COVID-19 vaccine from
Pfizer/BioNTech, a new study suggests. Among the 8,102 patients with
allergies in the Israeli study, 95% received the shots in routine
settings because their risk of a severe allergic reaction to the
vaccine was low, and no such reactions were reported. The remaining
429 patients, who were considered to be highly allergic, received
the vaccines under careful supervision and were observed for two
hours afterward. Nine had allergic reactions, including three who
showed signs of potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis. All
responded to treatment with epinephrine and no one had to be
hospitalized, according to a report published on Tuesday in JAMA
Network Open https://bit.ly/2WJJzid. An editorial https://bit.ly/3zAXHsJ
published with the study said lessons from this study of allergic
reactions to the Pfizer vaccine are likely "generalizable to the
Moderna" shot as well.
Click for a Reuters graphic https://tmsnrt.rs/3c7R3Bl on vaccines in
development.
(Reporting by Nancy Lapid; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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