Most unvaccinated children lack antibodies after COVID. SK bioscience vaccine is promising against Omicron

March 21 (Reuters)-The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They require further research to support the findings and include studies that have not yet been certified by peer review.

Most unvaccinated children lack antibodies after COVID-19

Most children and adolescents do not have COVID-19 antibodies in their blood after recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection. New data has been confirmed.

Beginning in October 2020, Texas researchers recruited 218 subjects aged 5 to 19 years who had recovered from COVID infection at some point in the past. Each provided three blood samples at 3-month intervals. More than 90% were unvaccinated when they enrolled in the study.In the first blood test, infection-related antibodies were found in only one-third of children, the researchers reported online. Pediatrics friday.. Six months later, only half of those who had antibodies still had antibodies. This study was designed to detect the presence of antibodies, which are only one element of the defense of the immune system, not the amount of antibodies. The level of protection is unknown even for those who have antibodies. Researchers did not find any difference in whether the child was asymptomatic, the severity of the symptoms, when infected with the virus, or by weight or gender.

“It was the same for everyone,” Sarah Messiah of the Dallas Public Health School said in a statement. “Some parents … think they are currently protected and do not need to be vaccinated just because their children have been infected with COVID-19,” Messiah said. “We have great tools available to give children more protection by vaccination.”

Experimental SK vaccines are promising against Omicron

Experimental vaccine booster shot developed by SK Bioscience Co (302440.KS) New data show “durable protection” against rhesus monkey Omicron variants.

Monkeys received two initial doses of the vaccine and boost immunization 6 or 12 months later.Blood samples from boosted primates showed “very high” levels of antibodies capable of neutralizing both the original strain of the virus and the Omicron variant that surged the infection, the researchers said. Reported bioRxiv Sunday Prior to peer review. They said that the animal’s secondary immune defense was also “substantial and persistent.” A vaccine called GBP510 triggers a response from the immune system by delivering a copy of a key portion of the peaplasmic protein from the surface of the coronavirus. The “subunits” of a protein are studded with nanoparticles to resemble the virus itself.GSK adjuvant has been added to these components (GSK.L) This enhances the response of the immune system, explained Bali Pulendran of Stanford University in California.

“Two vaccinations … booster shots one year later … plus an adjuvant provided a highly durable antibody response and protection against Omicron infection even after six months,” said Plendran. rice field. A large, 510-pound late-stage study in humans is underway.

AstraZeneca’s drug defense is low vs. Omicron in transplant patients

AstraZeneca (AZN.L) Researchers have found that antibody injections given to prevent COVID-19 in children and adults at high risk of a weakened immune system do not adequately protect organ transplant recipients from Omicron variants.

The drug Evusheld protected from the delta variant of the kidney transplant recipient. Lab test results released on Monday show that Evusheld can neutralize omicrons in mice containing the highly contagious BA.2 version.However, of the 416 kidney recipients treated with Ebshelld after Omicron became the predominant mutant, 9.4% developed symptomatic breakthrough infections, and 1 in 3 of those patients developed symptomatic breakthrough infections. Researchers reported that they needed hospitalization medRxiv Saturday Prior to peer review. Two patients died of COVID-19. In laboratory experiments, researchers exposed the BA.1 version of Omicron. This caused a massive winter surge in blood samples from 15 Evsheld-treated patients. None of the samples were able to neutralize the virus.

US Food and Drug Administration Recent advice Higher doses of Ebshelled are likely to be needed to prevent Omicron infection, and patients receiving the first approved shot should receive booster immunization. Researchers said kidney transplant recipients “should be advised to maintain hygiene measures and receive vaccine boosters.”

Click Reuters graphics About the vaccine under development.

(The story modifies the main heading, the second item showing the vaccine being developed by BK Bioscience using the GSK adjuvant.)

Report by Nancy Rapid; Edited by Bill Berkrot

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