–
Published on: 11/11/2020 15:30
“For the first time, the efficacy of a quadrivalent influenza vaccine produced on cell culture has been demonstrated in the age group between 2 and 18 years.” This was announced by Seqirus, which during the virtual edition of the Congress of the European Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (Espid) presented “important results” emerging from a randomized and controlled study. The trial met its primary endpoint in children and adolescents aged 2 years or older to under 18 over the course of three flu seasons, the company explains.
“The results of this study give even more strength to our commitment against this serious threat to public health, using all our experience and our advanced technologies in the field of influenza vaccines – says Jonathan Edelman, Vice President Clinical Development of Seqirus, and author of the study presented at the Espid Congress – Vaccinating every year against seasonal flu is extremely important to help protect as many people as possible, including the population between 2 and 18 years “.
“We are happy to be able to continue to increase the quantity and robustness of the scientific evidence in support of the use of the quadrivalent influenza vaccine produced on cell culture in increasingly large populations – says Maura Cambiaggi, General Manager of Seqirus Italia – With the Covid pandemic -19 underway, we are more committed than ever to our mission, to protect as many people as possible from seasonal flu. With over 100 million doses of quadrivalent flu vaccine produced on cell culture distributed globally to date, we are proud to share these data that highlight the benefits for the young “.
The influenza vaccine produced on cell culture, or QIVc – recalls Seqirus in a note – is an innovative type of vaccine that is developed using the cell culture production process, as an alternative to the traditional production on eggs used for the development of standard influenza vaccines . “This technology represents one of the most significant changes introduced in the production of influenza vaccines from the 1940s to today – underlines Cambiaggi – and joins our new adjuvanted quadrivalent vaccine produced on eggs which was recently approved also in Italy for the protection of the population. over 65 “.
Throughout the European Union – the company specifies – the quadrivalent influenza vaccine produced on cell culture is marketed as Flucelvax * Tetra and is currently authorized from 9 years of age. The results of this study therefore support the request for extension of the indications to regulatory authorities, such as the European Medicines Agency Ema which “recently approved the request for an extension of the indication for children of the same age or older. at 2 years “, highlights Seqirus. The company intends to “continue to support other clinical trials with the quadrivalent influenza vaccine produced on cell culture.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 870,000 children under 5 are hospitalized in the world every year for complications of flu. In Europe alone, the incidence of hospitalizations associated with influenza in this particularly high-risk age group has been estimated at 53 per 100,000 children. “The most effective way to prevent the flu – says the WHO – consists precisely in the flu vaccination”.
–
REPRODUCTION RESERVED © Copyright Adnkronos.
