Real world trial of Fluad shows benefits in reduced hospitalisation risk for influenza.- Seqirus
Seqirus announced results from a prospective, cluster-randomized trial led by a team of researchers from Brown University that showed Fluad (MF59 adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine) was more effective than standard non-adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) in reducing the risk of all-cause hospitalizations, as well as hospitalization for influenza and pneumonia, in adults 65 years and older living in United States nursing homes during the 2016/17 influenza season.
In the study, 823 nursing home facilities were randomized to offer an aTIV versus a standard non-adjuvanted TIV influenza vaccine as part of standard of care for 50,012 residents age 65 years and older�Fluad (n=24,926 residents) or TIV (n=25,086 residents)�during the 2016/17 influenza season. A portion of residents (15%) elected not to accept either vaccine. The goal of the study was to evaluate the potential role of Fluad in reducing the risk for hospitalization in this population. Researchers reported that in their intent-to-treat analysis, residents offered Fluad experienced 6 percent fewer hospitalizations from all causes compared with those who received a standard non-adjuvanted TIV (adjusted hazard ratio 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99, p=0.02).
Moreover, Fluad was 20 percent more effective than TIV in reducing the rate of hospitalization for influenza and pneumonia (adjusted hazard ratio 0.80, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.98, p=0.03). This reduced hospitalization risk was observed during a season characterized by the predominance of the A/H3N2 influenza virus, which was subject to antigenic drift and egg-adaptation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the adjusted overall vaccine effectiveness for the 2016/17 influenza season was 21 percent for influenza A/H3N2 viruses in adults 65 years and older, and 20 percent overall across all strains. These findings were presented at the recent National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) 2019 Clinical Vaccinology Course (CVC).