After decades of researching respiratory syncytial virus, an illness especially dangerous for newborns and the elderly, scientists this week announced a major development in plans for a possible vaccine that could be available as soon as next year.
Dado Ruvic/Reuters, FILE, scientists this week announced a major development in plans for a possible vaccine that could be available as soon as next year.
"Among very young children, particularly those [younger] than 6 months of age, we have a high probability now of protecting against serious illness and hospitalization," Pfizer's Dr. William Gruber told ABC News. Gruber is responsible for the company's vaccine development programs and has been personally working on thePfizer announced Tuesday that given promising preliminary data on their maternal RSV vaccine for newborns, the Food and Drug Administration granted a green light to stop enrolling new patients in the study. The company said it will move forward with the vaccine approval process.
Pfizer's traditional protein-based RSV vaccine works by vaccinating a pregnant person, who then passes on some protective antibodies to the infant. The company also said that the same vaccine has also shown promising data in adults 65 and older.According to data collected from the preliminary studies, Pfizer said, the vaccine was 82% effective at protecting newborns, within the first three months of life, from severe RSV illness.
"To be able to be in a position where we have the potential to provide 80% or more protection against serious disease is a dream fulfilled," Gruber said.Pfizer plans to submit the vaccine for official FDA approval by the end of the year and, if greenlit by the FDA and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the maternal RSV vaccine could be available as soon as next year.Currently, there is no approved RSV vaccine.
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