The Lyme disease vaccine is getting closer. It will also be tested in Poland

Pfizer announced that it has just begun Phase XNUMX clinical trials of a Lyme vaccine. So far, there is no effective vaccination against this tick-borne disease. Poles will also take part in the tests.

1. Several thousand people, including from Poland, will take part in the third stage of clinical trials on a vaccine against Lyme disease
2. The vaccine called VLA15 targets Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes that cause Lyme disease
3. If the study shows that the vaccine is safe and effective, the manufacturer will apply for VLA15 approval in as little as three years
4. More information can be found on the TvoiLokony home page

The American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the French Valneva are starting the third phase of research on a vaccine against Lyme disease called VLA15. Companies recruit approx. 6 thousand. participants aged five and over and adults in 50 places in Europe (including Poland) and the United States, where Lyme disease is an endemic disease (persistent in a given area for many years). Test participants will receive three doses of VLA15 or a placebo, followed by a booster dose.

“With the growing global incidence of Lyme disease, it is more important than ever to provide people with a new option to protect themselves from the disease.” — emphasized in the issued statement Annaliesa Anderson, vice president and head of vaccine research and development at Pfizer.

Lyme disease vaccine. When can it be approved?

The target of the VLA15 vaccine is Borrelia burgdorferi, the main cause of tick-borne disease. VLA15 is the only Lyme vaccine candidate currently under clinical development. This vaccine targets Borrelia burgdorferi’s outer surface protein A (OspA). Blocking OspA inhibits the ability of bacteria to leave the tick and thus infect humans.

“So far we have demonstrated a strong immune response and a satisfactory safety profile in preclinical and clinical studies” — the producers inform.

As announced by Pfizer, if the study proves that the vaccine is safe and effective, in 2025 the company will submit applications for its approval to the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.

Currently, there is no vaccine for Lyme disease, and the only form of disease prevention is avoiding contact with ticks. For tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), another disease transmitted by these arachnids, there are vaccines from two manufacturers (both for children and adults).