Whooping Cough Study in Young Adults could lead to an effective “stand alone” vaccine for Australians
This year has seen a significant increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases throughout Australia, with more than 41,000 cases reported to date. This surge in cases can be partly attributed to reduced or delayed vaccination, especially in children, as well as waning immunity contributing to breakthrough diseases.
While pertussis is a nasty disease at any age, it is particularly concerning in young children due to the development of severe, life-threatening complications. Current pertussis booster vaccines are co-administered with tetanus and diphtheria even though the latter may often be unnecessary. If only there was a 'stand alone' pertussis vaccine to optimise protection!? Well, now there is!
In this Phase 2/3 Study, we aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of Pertagen® pertussis vaccine compared to the current combination Boostrix® vaccine in 102 healthy adults aged 18-30 years. Pertagen® has been developed using the latest DNA technology that we believe will result in longer lasting protection. It has already been licenced in Thailand since September 2016 as a booster for people aged over 11 years and in pregnancy, and it has been licenced in Singapore since July 2021.
Early results through to one year post-vaccination have now been released and look are very promising. Pertagen® demonstrated that it was safe, well tolerated and has higher persistence of antibodies, indicating a stronger immune response, as compared to Boostrix®.
The results are so encouraging that Pertagen® has now been submitted to the Therapeutic Goods Association of Australia for licensing consideration. Hopefully, we will soon see this vaccine available for those who require regular pertussis booster vaccinations without the diphtheria and tetanus components. This could be particularly beneficial for pregnant women (as pertussis vaccination is recommended in every pregnancy), health care workers and those working with children.