by Hiroshima University The researchers discovered that prolonged exposure to SARS-CoV-2 triggered modifications in antibodies called somatic hypermutations, equipping them with new binding arms that help block broad virus variants. Credit: Communications Biology (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04782-6 What scientists learned about the rare antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2’s Achilles’ heel could help fine-tune our COVID-19 vaccine strategy for longer-lasting immunity. New research examining how frequently...
Tag: <span>COVID-19 vaccines</span>
Study suggests longer time between COVID-19 vaccines more effective for some
by Houston Methodist Model-predicted optimal dosing and CDC-recommended dosing schedules for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in healthy and immunocompromised sub-populations. The ongoing CDC guidelines for dosing schedules are represented by the blue bands and those predicted by the model are shown in green. Credit: (2022). DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.14.22279959 With the FDA authorizing a second bivalent booster this week for...
COVID-19 vaccines, prior infection reduce transmission of omicron, finds study of California prisons
by University of California, San Francisco Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Vaccination and boosting, especially when recent, helped to limit the spread of COVID-19 in California prisons during the first omicron wave, according to an analysis by researchers at UC San Francisco that examined transmission between people living in the same cell. The study demonstrates the...
Covid-19 vaccines were a success, but mRNA still has a delivery problem. Two startups have an unorthodox solution
By Jonathan Wosen Nov. 16, 2022 The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines use mRNA technology. CHRISTOPHE ENA/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES This story has been adapted from the STAT Report “The future of messenger RNA: Covid-19 vaccines are just the beginning.” While billions of vaccine doses administered during the pandemic have generated reams of data about the safety and effectiveness...
Modified nucleotides used in COVID-19 vaccines work as designed
The remarkable effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 has generated much interest in synthetic mRNA therapeutics for treating and preventing disease. But some basic science questions have remained about whether the modified nucleotides used in the vaccines faithfully produce the protein products they are designed to make. The synthetic mRNAs used in the COVID-19 vaccines incorporate the...
COVID-19 vaccines safe for patients treated for lung cancer with immune checkpoint inhibitors
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF LUNG CANCER (Denver—9 a.m. EDT–June 22, 2022)—Cancer patients have received priority status to receive COVID-19 vaccinations but there is limited data regarding the safety and efficacy of the vaccines for patients treated for lung cancer with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Now, a new study published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology found...
Research scientists publish first head-to-head comparison of four COVID-19 vaccines
by La Jolla Institute for Immunology Creative rendition of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. Credit: NIAID Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have published the first analysis of how four types of COVID-19 vaccines prepare the body to fight SARS-CoV-2. Their in-depth look at how T cells, B cells, antibody levels shift in the six...
Study suggests severe obesity blunts antibody response to COVID-19 vaccines
EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY New research being presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Maastricht, Netherlands (4-7 May), suggests that adults (aged 18 or older) with severe obesity generate a significantly weaker immune response to COVID-19 vaccination compared to those with normal weight. The study is by Professor Volkan...
COVID-19 vaccines reduce hospitalization, death in people with prior infection, study finds
by Kimberlee D’ardenne, Stanford University Medical Center Elderly residents receive COVID-19 vaccines in Londrina, Brazil, in February 2021. Jason Andrews and Brazilian researchers have shown that people who acquired COVID-19 and recovered benefit from full vaccination. Credit: Isaac Fontana/Shutterstock.com People who have recovered from COVID-19 still benefit from vaccination, according to a new study led...
Research dispels myth that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility, but misinformation persists
by Julian Daniel Sunday Willett, The Conversation COVID-19 vaccines do not increase the risk of miscarriage. Credit: Shutterstock Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and fertility has propagated online despite the vaccines’ clear safety profile. Fortunately, those considering having kids can relax when it comes to these crucial shots. These claims lack any realistic basis. As a medical doctor and...