Vaccination and Immunization

A look at recent approvals and promising clinical trials for future vaccines.

Individuals 12 years and older can now receive the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2023-2024 Formula) (NVX-CoV2601) to protect against variants that are currently circulating, after receiving an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA.

*Co-first authorship was earned, as each equally contributed to the methodical and rigorous review of the literature, writing, and editing of this article.

Tocilizumab-bavi (Tofidence; Biogen) demonstrated a biosimilarity to tocilizumab (Actemra; Genentech) based on multifaceted clinical and non-clinical data for polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (PJIA) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) in children aged 2 years and up. This makes it the first tocilizumab biosimilar to be FDA-approved in the United States, according to Biogen.

In collaboration with Contemporary Pediatrics, Contemporary OB/GYN, and Contagion, Tina Tan, MD, FAAP, FIDSA, FPIDS, discusses the benefits of having new tools to fight RSV in infants, potential vaccine hesitancy, and RSV trends currently being observed.

Standout updates include a relaxed recommendation for patients with a history of egg allergies, and that all available influenza vaccines for the 2023 to 2024 flu season are quadrivalent.

Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines by both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are no longer authorized for use in the United States.

The effects of GARDASIL 9 (Human Papillomavirus 9-valent Vaccine, Recombinant) in patients aged 9 to 15 years has indicated efficacy, according to a recent long-term follow-up study.

According to a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the original COVID-19 monovalent and bivalent vaccines helped reduce emergency department or urgent care encounters for children aged 6 months to 5 years.

Basis for a Biologics License Application submission to the FDA is being built for PXVX0317, following topline results demonstrated in a pair of phase 3 trials, including 1 trial featuring adolescents and adults aged 12 to 64 years.

From vaccinations to classroom behavior to math and reading levels, a discussion on how to best prepare children for the coming academic year.

Ervebo has been approved by the FDA to prevent the Ebola virus for individuals aged 12 months and older, after being initially approved for those 18 years and older in 2019.

An analysis of a nationwide sample of more than 30,000 clinicians provides insight into rates of HPV vaccination among US adolescents and how changes in reimbursement rate might encourage increased vaccination rates.

In unanimous fashion, the FDA AMDAC voted 21 to 0 that nirsevimab has a favorable benefit risk profile for the prevention of RSV lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in newborns and infants during their first RSV season.

How much progress have we made in developing therapies to treat this common childhood respiratory disorder?

The vaccine efficacy of the Novavax’s NVX-CoV2373 was 79.5% in adolescents.

Jonathan Miller, MD, pediatrician and chief of primary care, pediatrics, at Nemours Children's Health in the Delaware Valley, spoke about the latest data regarding early HPV vaccination in children as young as 9 at the 2023 Pediatric Academic Societies meeting.

According to Pfizer, the company’s pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevnar 20 has been approved by the FDA to treat infants and children aged 6 weeks to 17 years for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).

This study surveyed parents’ opinions on the risks of COVID-19 infection versus vaccination to determine how they affected the decision to vaccinate a child against COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic took a massive toll on routine vaccinations for children across the globe. Now, the United Nations Children’s Fund is calling for quick and swift action to get back on track. 

Monovalent vaccines by these manufacturers are no longer authorized for use in the United States.

Tina Tan, MD, and Sean O’Leary, MD, discuss the future of COVID-19 vaccines and the possibility of a combination vaccine.

Tina Tan, MD, and Sean O’Leary, MD, give examples of how to address parental hesitancy to vaccinate children against COVID-19.

Sean O’Leary, MD, shares his approach to addressing respiratory infections that are cocirculating with COVID-19 and which viruses clinicians should test for in children.

The FDA recently approved Hyqvia, expanding its use to treat pediatric patients with primary immunodeficiency (PI) aged 2 to 16 years.