New RSV vaccine given in pregnancy protects newborns from illness, Pfizer says

The vaccine protects newborns from severe cases of the illness in the critical months just after birth. The one-dose vaccine was given to pregnant people in their second or third trimesters, which resulted in the production of protective antibodies.

In six months after birth, the company found that the vaccine was effective in preventing severe cases of the respiratory syncytial virus, orRSV, that would require medical attention. The shot was more effective in the first three months of life.

This drop-off in immunity follows a pattern seen with other vaccines given in pregnant women, such as those for tetanus and whooping cough. The first two months of life are when the vaccine-inducing antibodies start to fall.

Pfizer's positive trial results have not yet been peer reviewed, but the company will submit the data to a scientific journal. The FDA will approve the drugmaker's application by the end of the year.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the virus can cause severe disease in infants younger than age 1 and adults older than age 65. The infections can migrate from the upper respiratory tract to the lungs and cause inflammation in the lungs' air sacs. Infant's breathing can be compromised by this inflammation.

According to the CDC, about 100 to 300 children die of the disease in the U.S. each year. Doctors have seen a surge of cases in emergency rooms and intensive care units because of the early start to the season.

Annaliesa Anderson, chief scientific officer of vaccine research and development at Pfizer, told The Washington Post that they were hopeful that everything could be done in time to protect mothers against the disease. We are about to start a very heavy season. Hospitals are filled up. Everyone likes the fact that this can be prevented.

Pfizer's vaccine contains "F" proteins, which are used to enter human cells The shot contains two different versions of the FProtein, which are locked into a shape just before they are able to form a cell.

The trial included 7,400 pregnant women who either received the vaccine or a placebo in the second to third trimester. The trial spanned 18 countries and began in June 2020.

The shots were well-tolerated with no safety concerns for both the vaccine recipients and their newborn babies, according to the statement.

There is good news regarding the vaccine for older adults as the new shots move towards FDA approval. Positive results from Pfizer's late-stage trial were announced in August.