Behind the Headlines: Winter Vaccine Recommendations; Nobel Prize Predictions; Biosecure Act; and more.

This Behind the Headlines news roundup panel discussion discusses news items such as research results from the June Lab at the University of Pennsylvania presented at the Hanson Wade 9th CAR-TCR Summit; winter vaccine recommendations, particularly for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Beyfortus access and deployment; upcoming early October Nobel prize announcement predictions; digital biology analytics, quantitation, alongside point of care (POC) and distributed manufacturing. The panel also talks about the Biosecure Act and manufacturing reshoring; Federal reserve interest rate cuts of a full half a percent (1); and the general investment and financial outlook.

RSV has become a near household phrase since, and partly because of, the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because anyone wearing a face mask wasn’t exposed to the typical bioburden in their immediate environment, and hence natural immunity wasn’t built up the way it normally would be. Upwards of 90% of all children will have contracted it by age 2 (2), and during our lifetime it is expected a typical person will have suffered varying degrees of symptoms multiple times. Characteristically, these symptoms are mild and commonly include a sore throat a persistent cough, with perhaps sneezing and a runny or blocked nose. While RSV often gets better by itself, it is a serious threat to young babies, sometimes producing bronchiolitis, making it a challenge for newborns to breathe. Regarding geriatrics, those with weakened immune systems and especially anybody with heart and lung conditions, RSV can produce pneumonia, leading to hospitalization and potentially early death. This is particularly true during winter months, where virulence factors seems to peak, though like COVID-19 itself, we have seen smaller peaks during the height of summer also.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends all babies be protected from severe RSV by one of two immunization options: A maternal RSV vaccine given to the mother during pregnancy, or an RSV antibody given to your baby. Most babies do not need both. The CDC now recommends an RSV vaccine for pregnant people to protect their babies from severe RSV disease. “Pregnant people should get a single dose of the maternal RSV vaccine (Pfizer’s Abrysvo) during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy. These vaccines are administered September through January in most of the United States. Protection provided by a maternal vaccine, passed from the mother to the baby, wanes over time. Because these vaccines are administered September through January, the protection passed to the baby will last for their first RSV season” (3).

On our shortlist for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, to be announced on Monday, October 7, 2024 at the earliest, were Pieter Culllis, Tom Madden for lipid nanoparticles; Carl June, Bruce Levine, and Michel Sadeliene for CAR-T; Hans Clever and Donal Inger for Organoids; Sean Hart for laser force Cytology; and Steven Rosenberg for the development of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.

References

1. Cox, J. Fed Slashes Interest Rates by a Half Point, An Aggressive start to its First Easing Campaign in Four Years. CNBC News, Sep. 18, 2024.
2. Russell, S. New Respiratory Syncytial Virus Caccine to Protect Millions Most at Risk this Winter. Aug. 22, 2024, Blog Post. National Health Service, England.
3. CDC. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV), Immunizations to Protect Infants. CDC.gov (accessed Sept. 30, 2024).

Panelist

Brian Feth, CEO Xcell Biosciences

Moderator

Chris Spivey, Director of Industry Relations and Strategic Partnership, MJH Life Sciences