The release of a flu vaccine exclusively for the elderly

with weakened immunity

Seqirus launches Fluad, a vaccine containing immune enhancers, in Korea next year

Sanofi is considering introducing Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivate, a high-capacity vaccine with increased antigen content

U.S. Prioritizes High-Performance Vaccination

The development of domestic companies is still far away.

 

In order to prevent influenza (flu) infection in the elderly, a high-performance vaccine with improved preventive effects will appear in Korea.

 

One of the two representative products has been approved in Korea, and the other is likely to be introduced.

 

According to the pharmaceutical industry on the 13th, CSL Seqirus's tetravalent flu vaccine Fluad, which contains immunostimulants for the elderly aged 65 or older, has completed domestic approval and is preparing for its introduction.

 

Due to the schedule, it is difficult to sell in the 2022-2023 season, but it is expected to be released next year during the flu season.

 

Sanofi is also considering introducing a high-dose flu vaccine in Korea for those aged 65 or older.

 

In the United States, it has been sold under the name Fluzone since it was approved in 2019.

 

◆ Influenza vaccines that have increased effectiveness for the elderly with reduced immunity appear Older people aged 65 or older are considered high-risk groups for flu, so active prevention is recommended with vaccination.

 

Korea provides free flu vaccinations to senior citizens aged 65 or older through NIP.

 

However, with conventional vaccines, the preventive effect tends to be somewhat reduced in the elderly with a reduced immune system.

 

Accordingly, flu vaccine developers have started to develop new vaccines to increase preventive effects.

 

Fluad, developed by CSL Seqirus, can improve the immune response by adding an immune enhancer called MF59.

 

MF59 is an immune enhancer made using squalene ingredients produced in the liver.

 

MF59 induces a cellular immune response to promote antigen absorption by antigen-presenting cells, thereby increasing the immune response through the activation of T cells and B cells.

 

Even with a small amount, it can exert a strong antibody effect.

 

MF59 was also used during the swine flu epidemic in 2009.

 

According to a study by CSL Seqirus comparing the difference in disease burden according to the type of vaccine for senior citizens aged 65 or older in Korea, it is predicted that the burden of flu-related diseases will be significantly reduced when switching from the existing flu vaccine to a vaccine containing immune enhancers.

 

Vaccines containing immunostimulants are expected to prevent 35,390 cases of flu, 1,602 cases of flu-related complications, 709 cases of hospitalization, and 145 cases of deaths per year compared to existing vaccines.

 

Fluzone, developed by Sanofi, is a product that increases the number of antigens, unlike Fluad, which has added immune enhancers.

 

It is known to have four times more antigens than existing doses.

 

It was first approved in the U.S.

 

in 2019 and is considering introducing in Korea.

 

It is predicted that vaccinations with high doses will reduce the burden of diseases similar to vaccines containing immunostimulants.

 

◆ Vaccination for the elderly being reorganized with high-performance In the United States, flu vaccines for the elderly are changing mainly to high-performance products.

 

This is because the analysis of studies in recent years has proved that high-performance vaccines are more advantageous in reducing the risk of hospitalization and death in the elderly over 65.

 

In terms of safety, side effects such as pain at the injection site were reported more frequently after high-performance vaccination, but they were resolved naturally over time.

 

Based on this, the U.S.

 

ACIP revised its flu vaccination guidelines and recommended that senior citizens aged 65 or older receive a high-dose flu vaccine (Fluzone) or a flu vaccine containing immunostimulants.

 

On top of that, only recombinant vaccines containing three times more antigens than existing vaccines were additionally included in the recommendation list for vaccination for the elderly.

 

When the domestic high-performance flu vaccine market opens, multinational pharmaceutical companies are expected to dominate the market for a while.

 

This is because only one domestic company is developing a high-performance flu vaccine, and even this has been slow to develop.

 

GC Pharma has started developing GC3114, the first high-capacity flu vaccine in Korea.

 

In 2018, the phase 2 clinical trial plan of GC3114 was approved and the clinical trial was completed the following year, but it was found to be in a holding state for three years.

 

It is estimated that it will take more than five years to commercialize it as it has not yet entered phase III and has not set a specific schedule.