Immune Systems Advisor

People who received any version of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine except for the newest one were no better off than the unvaccinated, according to a new paper. “Compared to the unvaccinated, those who had received only older versions of COVID-19 vaccines did not show significantly reduced risk of COVID-19 outcomes, including hospital admission,” Sara Tartof of Kaiser Permanente and her co-authors wrote. Analyzing recent data from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Ms. Tartof and colleagues found that people who received at least two doses of older vaccines actually had a higher risk of outpatient visits and, for some age groups, were more likely to be hospitalized with acute respiratory illness. The median time since receipt of the most recent dose among the people who were vaccinated but did not take the newest version was 363 days. Previous studies and datasets have indicated that protection from COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time, eventually turning negative in some cases . Ms. T...

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer slashed its profit and revenue estimates for a full year as it said that demand for COVID-19 vaccines and other products has dropped.   The firm now expects 2023 sales of $58 billion to $61 billion, down from previous forecasts of $67 billion to $70 billion, according to its guidance report that was released on Friday, Oct. 13. The revenue outlook was slashed, it said, "solely due to its COVID products" such as its vaccine and antiviral drug. It anticipates that sales of its COVID-19 vaccine will be about $2 billion lower than its previously expected forecast due to lower-than-expected rates of people taking the mRNA shot. The firm's latest COVID-19 booster was made available by U.S. federal regulators last month, but the rollout has been relatively slow—with only about 2 percent of Americans taking any of the vaccines, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) data. The company also reduced its guidance or Paxlovid, a...

U.S. health regulators authorized the first oral pill against COVID-19 in December 2021 ( Associated Press ), a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. Authorization was based on results from EPIC-HR, a randomized, placebo-controlled treatment trial in adult outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID who were at high risk for progression to severe disease. What's New:  Paxlovid vs Monoclonal Antibodies: What's the Difference ? The latest ( last updated: April 8, 2022 ) NIH guidelines recommended Paxlovid as the no. 1 preferred therapy for non-hospitalized patients. The drug, Paxlovid (ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir), is a faster, cheaper way to treat early COVID-19 infections, though initial supplies will be extremely limited. All of the previously authorised drugs against the disease require an IV (intravenous) or an injection. Locations in the USA that may have Paxlovid available can be found at:  https://covid-19-ther...