Many are afraid of Lyme disease spread by ticks, but protection may be on the way

There is already a vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Protection against borreliosis is missing.

Now one may be on the way. A vaccine from two pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Valneva, showed in the study more than 70 percent power. The study included Finnish vaccine research centers, such as Meilahti vaccine research center MeVac.

Director of MeVac and Professor of Infectious Diseases Anu Kanteleen according to the result is promising. The decisive thing is whether the screenings are sufficient for the authorities and whether the citizens take the vaccine. That’s where the predecessor failed.

Lyme disease vaccine has been tried to get on the market before. In the United States, it was used in the late 1990s LYMErix vaccine, but it fell out of use within a few years.

According to the complaint, the reason was not the serious disadvantages shown, but mistrust, practical difficulties and weak demand.

“The manufacturer voluntarily withdrew the product from the market in 2002. Part of the reason was weak sales, but also the fact that the vaccine was not covered by the US vaccine harm compensation system, which increased the manufacturer’s risk of being the subject of lawsuits.”

The vaccine was only available in North America, and it covered only the type of borrelia bacteria prevalent there.

The new vaccine is designed to cover Borrelia types common in North America and Europe. It could also be protected in Finland.

“This vaccine can be a significant development step in the prevention of borreliosis,” says Kantele.

Lyme disease can be a tricky disease. In Finland, about a fifth of ticks carry Borrelia bacteria. The risk is not small for those who are exposed to tick bites repeatedly.

The effectiveness of the vaccine is based on a program of four injections, a basic series of three doses and a boost given after one year.

“The principle is similar to the TBE vaccine in that the protection is built with a basic series of several doses and is maintained with a booster,” says Kantele.

Newly According to Kantelee, the more than 70 percent efficacy obtained with the vaccine is a promising result. It must be remembered that now only the announcement of the pharmaceutical company has been published, not yet the peer-reviewed research publication. It is not known whether the screens are sufficient for a sales license.

According to the complaint, everything related to the new vaccine must be open.

Everything that is known and not yet known about the harms, efficacy and uncertainties must be told.

Up until now, the disadvantages have seemed ordinary. Injection site tenderness, pain, redness and swelling are common. In addition, there may be fatigue, muscle, joint and headache pain and nausea. Some may experience a temporary fever.

In the study, half of the participants received the vaccine and half received a placebo. Participants were at least five years old, so the vaccine was also studied in children. According to the complaint, it is important because children are also exposed to ticks.

When the vaccine gets a marketing license, it probably won’t be offered to the entire population, at least initially.

Kantele estimates that those who are repeatedly exposed to ticks would benefit the most from the vaccine. They are those who live in archipelagos and coastal areas, campers, those who move in the forest and do outdoor work.

The vaccine the road to use depends on the authorities. Before entering the market, the vaccine must go through a rigorous marketing authorization process.

Pfizer has said that it is planning a license application. In Europe, it is processed by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The actual marketing authorization is granted by the European Commission. Then it can be assessed to whom the vaccine could be recommended in Finland.

Until then, the borreliosis vaccine is only a promising prospect, not yet a protection against the next tick summer.

“One can hope that things will progress as they seem to be progressing now,” says Kantele.