Shoot. It looks like this new Pfizer vaccine is still based on the OspA
protein.
I am not remotely an anti-vaxxer, but having looked into the risks of chronic
Lyme when we first encountered it, I found multiple papers about
cross-reactivity between OspA and certain people's immune T cells. (There are
specific genetic alleles that are involved, so this is not an issue for most
people, but how many people know whether they carry HLA-DR2 or HLA-DR4?) Here
are some of the papers:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199007263230402
https://rupress.org/jem/article/203/4/961/46438/Antibiotic-refractory-Lyme-arthritis-is-associated
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2075570/
They've probably continued to pursue OspA because there was already one
approved vaccine (withdrawn from the market), which speeds up the approval
process. I was hoping they'd branch out into other surface proteins that don't
have this issue.
Sadly, I'll pass on the trial and wait until there's more data.
-P
> From: Leslie Turek
> Subject: [LincolnTalk] New Lyme disease vaccine trial just starting
> Date: August 9, 2022 at 11:12:46 EDT
> To: ""
>
>
> There's a new Lyme disease vaccine that has been developed by Pfizer and they
> are looking for volunteers for a phase 3 clinical trial. They need people who
> frequently walk outdoors or who have dogs that might bring in ticks. I figure
> that covers a large percentage of Lincoln, so there might be some potential
> volunteers out there.
>
> More information about the vaccine here:
> https://apnews.com/article/science-health-ticks-73fab8e29f3e2243c2db5bc33b3265e1
>
> More information about volunteering for the trial here:
>
> https://www.valorlymestudy.com/?utm_campaign=digital1&utm_source=continuum&utm_medium=google&utm_content=lyme%20disease%20vaccine&mpt=continuumgoogle
>
> What To Expect
>
> You or your child will be randomly assigned to receive the study vaccine or a
> placebo (shot with no active ingredient). Neither you nor the study doctor
> will know which has been assigned.
>
> This study will last about 30 months (2 and a half years). During this time,
> you or your child will have at least 7 in-clinic study visits, including 4-5
> visits with blood draws. Additional blood samples may be needed if you or
> your child develop symptoms of Lyme disease.
>
> Over the course of the study, participants will need to report any changes in
> their health to the study team.
>
> The study vaccine and study-related procedures will be provided at no cost.
> You do not need health insurance to take part in this study.
>
> Research studies are voluntary, and taking part in a research study is a
> personal choice. You or your child may leave the study at any time, for any
> reason.
--
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