Data from a phase II trial of a vaccine are positive against streptococcus type B. The vaccine is administered during pregnancy and serves to protect the unborn child in the first months of life. In the study, the data of which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the administration of the vaccine stimulated the production of antibodies against the bacterium and these were transmitted to the child.
Strep B infections in newborns can cause potentially very serious complications. To date, the only strategy to reduce the risk of infection in the baby is the administration of antibiotics to the mother during labor, if a positivity to the bacterium is found.
The trial of the vaccine, developed by Pfizer, was conducted on 360 women. The tests made it possible to confirm the safety of the product, to identify the most effective dosage and to have an initial indication of its effectiveness: vaccination in fact stimulated the production of anti-streptococcus antibodies; moreover, these were transferred to the unborn child.
A second part of the study, which involved about 18,000 women, estimated the amount of antibodies needed to confer protection against infection, confirming that the levels achieved with vaccination are effective.
“Every year, I’m almost there 400,000 cases of childhood illness and approximately 13,000 stillbirths and infant deaths worldwide due to group B strepsaid Annaliesa Anderson, head of vaccine research at Pfizer.
The data obtained from the study make it possible to start a phase III testing program preparatory to a possible approval of the vaccine.
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