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New Study Finally Uncovers the Molecular Trigger Behind Rare COVID Vaccine Blood Clots
Researchers led by Flinders University, working with international collaborators, have clarified how a rare blood clotting disorder can develop after certain COVID-19 adenovirus-based vaccines or following a natural adenovirus infection.
The team, which included scientists from Flinders University and Greifswald University, discovered that in a very small number of people the immune system can mistakenly identify a normal adenovirus protein as platelet factor 4 (or PF4), a protein found in human blood. When this mix-up occurs, the immune system generates antibodies that activate clotting.
Although the reaction is extremely uncommon, pinpointing its cause gives vaccine designers a way to alter the adenovirus protein and potentially prevent the complication, making future vaccines even safer. Flinders University researcher Dr. Jing Jing Wang said the findings offer a practical roadmap for improving vaccine safety.
GLP-1s May Increase Risk of Osteoporosis and Gout, New Research Finds
GLP-1 drugs — including Ozempic and Wegovy — may be tied to a slightly higher risk of osteoporosis and gout, according to research presented Monday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting. Dr. John Horneff, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Pennsylvania and the lead author of the study, said he began looking into the issue after some patients appeared to develop serious tendon tears after relatively minor injuries. That led them to examine whether GLP-1s might affect bone and other connective tissue more broadly.
“People are taking these medications, and obviously there’s a tremendous amount of upside,” Horneff said. “But with that, they start to decrease their intake of food and nutrients.” Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens the bones and makes them likelier to break or fracture, often from minor falls.
It’s a common concern for many older adults and for people who lose a significant amount of weight over a short period of time. Gout, meanwhile, is a painful form of arthritis that can occur when the body has too much uric acid, which can come from a diet high in red meat and alcohol — as well as rapid weight loss.
After CDC Vaccine Changes, States Push to Keep Childhood Shots Free, Accessible
As the Trump administration shakes up recommendations for childhood vaccines, a growing number of states are moving quickly to ensure vaccines remain free and health care workers are protected from lawsuits. “States are stepping in to protect their communities proactively,” said Dr. David Higgins, a practicing pediatrician in Aurora, Colorado, and vice president of the Colorado chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Colorado is one of at least six states — along with Alaska, California, Illinois, Maryland and Vermont — that have introduced vaccine-related bills in recent months, in an unprecedented break from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which overhauled the childhood vaccine schedule in early January.
Colorado’s Senate Bill 32 stands out as the most extensive of the proposals. It would expand malpractice liability protections for health care providers — including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, clinics, hospitals and insurance companies — related to childhood vaccines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the leading pediatricians group, as well as the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee.
WHO Updates All 3 Viral Strains to Be Included in Fall Flu Shots
The World Health Organization (WHO) today recommended that vaccine manufacturers completely change the three viral strains included in the vaccines for the Northern Hemisphere’s next influenza season.
As expected, the WHO recommended that vaccines for the next flu season includes a new variant of the influenza virus that started to increase last fall — too late for it to be included in this winter’s flu vaccines. Using current vaccine manufacturing technology, companies need at least six months’ prep time to produce flu shots in time for immunization campaigns beginning in the late summer or early fall.
Researchers first reported on the new flu variant — called influenza A(H3N2) subclade K — in October, after this season’s flu shots had already been manufactured and distributed to drug store and clinics. That led to a mismatch in the vaccines that went into people’s arms and the viruses circulating around them, said Danuta Skowronski MD, a flu researcher at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control in western Canada.
Merck to Wind Down Gardasil Production at N.C. Plant, Lay off 150-Plus
Facing vaccine pressures in multiple markets, Merck & Co. is pruning the ranks at one of its key U.S. production facilities. In a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act alert filed this week, Merck revealed that it is laying off 147 staffers at its vaccine manufacturing plant in Durham, plus seven other employees who report to a different address in the city, which is part of North Carolina’s famed Research Triangle region.
The cuts are a result of Merck’s decision to end production of Gardasil and Gardasil 9 at the site on Old Oxford Road “because of the recent worldwide reduction in demand for the product,” Amanda Taylor, VP of plant management in vaccine operations, wrote in the WARN letter. The job cuts are slated to take effect on May 1, according to the state filing.
When reached for comment, a Merck spokesperson confirmed the layoffs, adding that the drugmaker continuously evaluates its business and adjusts operations “as needed to ensure the effectiveness of our manufacturing network in delivering reliable, compliant supply of our medicines and vaccines.”
Just last year, Merck opened a new $1 billion vaccine production plant in Durham, spanning some 225,000 square feet and focused on production of Gardasil specifically, according to reports from local news outlets at the time. As recently as October, Merck said it was creating 400 new full-time roles at the Gardasil plant.
European Regulators Recommend Approval of Combined mRNA Vaccine for Flu and COVID
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) Feb. 27 said it’s recommending marketing authorization for mCombriax, Moderna’s combined mRNA vaccine for protecting older adults against COVID-19 and flu. The recommendation was made by the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which looked at data from a phase 3 trial involving 8,000 participants aged 50 and older.
The results of that trial showed participants who received mCombriax (mRNA-1083) had non-inferior immune responses to those who received Moderna’s licensed COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) or authorized high- or standard-dose flu vaccines (Fluzone and Fluarix).
If the European Commission accepts the recommendation, the vaccine will be available throughout the European Union. The EMA said the vaccine will provide people with the option of having a single shot to protect against both illnesses.
