Pneumococcal – a bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia and meningitis – is responsible for thousands of hospital admissions in Australia each year, many of them children.
Since the roll-out of a national vaccine program in 1997, cases of pneumococcal have dropped significantly, but there are still several strains of the disease that are not covered by the current vaccine regime.
Now, Australia is on the brink of the first new vaccine for children in more than a decade, covering an extra 10 per cent of cases, after key trials performed by the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases at Telethon Kids Institute.
“From 2013 to 2018, it was noticed there was an increase in the numbers of vaccine failures where children were getting sick, often several years after the infant vaccinations occurred,” Head of Vaccine Trials Group, Professor Peter Richmond, said.
“So the National Immunisation Program changed in 2018 to give extra doses to try and improve outcomes. That has gradually had an effect over the last three years but we still have a significant number of cases of pneumococcal disease.”
Like many infectious diseases, restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led to a downturn in cases, but numbers have now bounced back. “It’s clear that it remains an important cause of serious disease and one reason is that some strains are causing invasive diseases that aren’t covered by the vaccine in children,” Professor Richmond said.
The 15-valent vaccine, which is safe and well tolerated, is also shown to stimulate strong immune responses to all current strains covered, plus the additional strains. This is an important additional tool to further reduce serious infection in children.
Already licensed in the United States, the 15-valent vaccine has been submitted for approval in Australia and is expected to be available for use on the National Immunisation Program within two years.
Professor Richmond’s work alongside pharmaceutical company Merck and Co has led to him accept a position on the group’s International Scientific Advisory Board for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines.
“As a clinician researcher, it’s my privilege to be involved in helping develop the next generation of vaccines that will improve health in children being born now and in the future in Western Australia.
It’s gratifying to see the research having a direct impact on national policy and leading to more availability of vaccines for children,” he said. “We also recognise that research is about working together to get the best evidence.
We know the best evidence comes from randomised clinical trials, and we’re pleased to be one of Australia’s leading research groups helping to generate that evidence.