AstraZeneca and Pfizer Vaccines: The Path to Better Omicron Immunity

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  • AstraZeneca and Pfizer announced a new collaboration in June 2022, underscoring the continued importance of vaccination as an arm of preventive care.

  • Both pharmaceutical companies are working to improve the efficacy of vaccines, which have had only limited success among various demographics.

  • Rather than compete directly on the market for drugs against common diseases, the two companies have decided to combine their efforts at developing vaccines that work.

  • In addition to supporting research into novel eco-friendly production methods for vaccines, This article explains what is wrong with current vaccination practices and how this new collaboration can remedy them.


Why is AstraZeneca collaborating with Pfizer?

Vaccinations have had a dramatic impact on global health. Pneumococcal infections and diphtheria, two of the most deadly diseases against which vaccines were developed, are now relatively rare in developed countries. Flu Vaccines



However, vaccines against other diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B, and human papillomavirus are less effective. These diseases are still common in many regions of the world. In addition, certain demographics are less likely to be vaccinated against these diseases, including adolescents and young adults.



AstraZeneca and Pfizer hope to address these issues through the joint development of new and improved vaccines. Specifically, the two pharmaceutical companies plan to develop novel vaccines against infectious diseases.



They will also collaborate on research into eco-friendly production methods for vaccines, which are currently made using a bovine byproduct.


Making vaccines more effective

One way to improve the efficacy of vaccines is to generate more potent immune responses. The ability of a vaccine to elicit an immune response depends on both the antigen it contains and the route of administration.



To increase the potency of the immune response to a vaccine, one could try to improve the antigen or change the route of administration. Improving the antigen is the traditional way to enhance vaccine efficacy.



This approach is likely to be limited by the availability of appropriate antigens. Changing the route of administration is a possible alternative to increasing the effectiveness of a vaccine. Both routes may be explored in the current collaboration between AstraZeneca and Pfizer.


How will AstraZeneca and Pfizer make vaccines more effective?

The two companies have already begun work toward improving the efficacy of existing vaccines. AstraZeneca has licensed technology from Pfizer that it can use to develop more potent versions of tuberculosis vaccines.



AstraZeneca and Pfizer are also exploring how to improve the potency of Gardasil, the HPV vaccine that is currently administered as three separate shots. Both companies plan to use their combined expertise to develop new vaccines.



AstraZeneca’s experience with vaccinia viruses may help the company produce a new vaccine against smallpox. Both companies are exploring vaccines against diseases that are currently very difficult to prevent. These include hepatitis B and other diseases caused by the hepatitis C virus.


The limitations of current vaccines

Although vaccination is effective against many diseases, current vaccines face several limitations. When a pathogen is new or has mutated, it may be difficult to recognize.



This difficulty can lead to false negatives in vaccine efficacy studies. Another challenge for current vaccines is that the antigens they contain are often only weakly immunogenic.



Ideally, vaccines should elicit an immune response that is both strong and long-lasting. However, most of the available vaccines are not very potent. The low levels of immunogenicity can lead to decreased vaccine efficacy against pathogens.



In addition, the vaccines may elicit poor responses from specific demographics, including adolescents and young adults.


What is the path forward?

The current collaboration between AstraZeneca and Pfizer could address many of the limitations of current vaccines. For example, if the new hepatitis B and hepatitis C vaccines are more potent than current vaccines, they could improve the efficacy of those vaccines.



The companies could also address issues of false negatives and weakly immunogenic antigens by improving their ability to recognize the antigens of specific pathogens.



In addition, the collaboration might allow these companies to develop vaccines that are more effective against adolescents and young adults. Such a vaccine could be especially useful given the high rates of non-vaccination in these populations.

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