Meningitis Vaccine Recommendations
Chinese Pharma Companies Eyeing Strong Foothold In Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines Market
Read by: 100 Industry Professionals
London: Cancer vaccines represent a burgeoning field in oncology, potentially revolutionising cancer treatment. Earlier, approved cancer vaccines were prophylactic against cancer-causing viruses. However, recent advancements have shifted towards developing therapeutic cancer vaccines, which focus on identifying tumour-specific antigens to create innovative cancer immunotherapies. In this context, Chinese companies are actively positioning themselves to secure a strong foothold in the therapeutic vaccine market, says GlobalData:According to GlobalData's Pharmaceutical Intelligence Centre, seven cancer vaccines are approved in China, of these four were developed by multinational pharma companies. The homegrown vaccines include Wozehui, developed by Shanghai Zerun Biotechnology, and Cecolin, by Xiamen Innovax Biotechnology, both targeting different serotypes of HPV. Additionally, Rebys, produced by Cure & Sure Biotech, is an autologous heat shock protein-gp6 peptide complex, marking it as the first therapeutic cancer vaccine approved in China for multiple oncology indications, including oesophagal, gastric, pancreatic, and liver cancers.
Jithendra Kancharla, Pharma Analyst, GlobalData, commented, "Therapeutic cancer vaccines harness the body's immune system to recognise and combat tumour cells within the body. They harbour an antigen specific to the tumour cells and present them to immune cells, eliciting them to attack the antigen-containing tumour cells. The field of therapeutic cancer vaccines is advancing rapidly with technological innovations, driving promising research in areas such as personalised neoantigen vaccines, oncolytic virus-based vaccines, and mRNA cancer vaccines."A significant breakthrough was achieved in 2010 with the approval of sipuleucel-T (Provenge), developed by Dendreon Pharmaceuticals, for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Provenge is an autologous cellular immunotherapy that marks a significant milestone as the first FDA-approved therapeutic cancer vaccine.
According to GlobalData's Pharmaceutical Intelligence Centre, as of August 20, 2024, 23 different cancer vaccines are in Phase I to Phase III clinical development in China. Most of these vaccines (60 per cent) are therapeutic cancer vaccines and homegrown companies are developing the majority of them.Notably, the US (Vaccine candidates duplicated across the focus geographies are segregated based on their developer's (company) headquarters and categorised under the respective geography.) is leading the innovation of therapeutic cancer vaccines with 46 potential vaccine candidates in the pipeline, followed by Europe with 22 vaccine candidates, China with 14 and Japan with 11 therapeutic cancer vaccines in Phase I to Phase III clinical development.
Kancharla concluded, "Despite China forging ways to compete on a global level in the field of therapeutic cancer vaccines, the Western companies currently have a more advanced position, with several vaccine candidates showing potential for treating different areas of oncology. As these vaccines progress through clinical trials and reach commercialisation, China's influence in oncology is likely to expand. The next decade could see China not only as a major market but also as a leading innovator in the global fight against cancer."Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis.
Hold Rating On Merck Amidst Rising Competition And Market Dynamics In China's Vaccine Sector
Merck & Company (MRK – Research Report), the Healthcare sector company, was revisited by a Wall Street analyst yesterday. Analyst Mohit Bansal from Wells Fargo maintained a Hold rating on the stock and has a $125.00 price target.
Mohit Bansal has given his Hold rating due to a combination of factors affecting Merck & Company's Gardasil vaccine sales in the Chinese market. The emergence of bivalent vaccines, which are considerably cheaper and often provided free by local governments and charities, is a primary challenge to Gardasil's market share. Additionally, the potential sufficiency of a 2-dose regimen over a 3-dose one further erodes Gardasil's competitive edge, as it reduces the overall number of doses needed. Bansal's analysis suggests that these market dynamics are not temporary and are likely to persist, influencing his Hold recommendation.Moreover, Bansal acknowledges the growing competition from higher valent vaccines produced by Chinese manufacturers, which are expected to be approved soon. Despite Merck's strong brand recognition and the perceived high quality of its products among Chinese consumers, the anticipated lower pricing of local alternatives could pose significant competition. However, he also recognizes the untapped potential in the market, including opportunities for male vaccination and overall market growth driven by competition. These factors contribute to the Hold rating, indicating a balanced view of Merck's future prospects in the face of increasing market challenges.
Bansal covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Eli Lilly & Co, Merck & Company, and Regeneron. According to TipRanks, Bansal has an average return of 12.9% and a 64.29% success rate on recommended stocks.
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Merck & Company (MRK) Company Description:
Merck & Co., Inc. Develops pharmaceutical and vaccine products. It also offers healthcare solutions and vaccines addressing animal health. The company was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Kenilworth, NJ.
As EU Plans New Vaccine Passport, Catholic Experts Call For Pandemic Response Review
CNA Newsroom, Aug 29, 2024 / 10:18 am
Catholic experts are calling for a thorough and transparent review of data privacy and the COVID-19 pandemic response, including the impact of church closures and vaccination policies, ahead of a new European vaccination card initiative set to be piloted in five countries beginning in September.
This initiative comes as Catholic experts and communities continue to grapple with the effects of church closures during the COVID-19 pandemic and consider how to better prepare for future health crises.
The initiative, dubbed "European Vaccination Beyond COVID-19" (EUVABECO), is aimed at establishing a Europe-wide vaccination card system.
The project, partially funded by taxpayer money, aims to streamline vaccination records across the European Union, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA's German-language news partner.
The card will be tested in Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, and Latvia and enable citizens to consolidate their vaccination data in one easily accessible location, according to VaccinesToday. It will be available in multiple formats, including printed cards, mailed copies, and digital smartphone versions.
The EUVABECO project website describes the digital tool as facilitating "lifelong continuity of care" across borders.
However, the proposed system has raised concerns among Catholic ethicists.
Right to privacy and risk of discriminationFather Peter Schallenberg, a professor of moral theology and expert in Catholic social teaching, told CNA Deutsch that while there are "no ethical difficulties in centrally and digitally managing health data on vaccinations," it is crucial to ensure anonymization "to protect personal privacy."
Father Elmar Nass, chair of sociology at the Cologne University of Catholic Theology (KHKT), highlighted potential data protection issues. He cautioned against allowing health insurance companies access to this information, warning they could use it to discriminate among customers.
The professor also expressed concern about the possibility of foreign powers or governments accessing the data and using it to restrict the freedom of sick individuals. Nass cautioned that such access could lead to discrimination or even exploitation of individuals based on their health status.
Both professors underscored the importance of individual responsibility for health.
Calls for a transparent reviewThe European initiative comes in the wake of significant challenges faced by the Catholic Church during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"In principle, the state, as guardian of the common good, has the right to restrict individual freedoms, even in the case of mandatory vaccination, as long as this is approved by a parliamentary majority, medically indicated, limited in time, and evaluated," Schallenberg said.
Nass emphasized protecting life and placing more weight on the importance of individual responsibility.
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In his view, nationwide compulsory vaccinations — provided that the vaccines are produced in an ethically legitimate manner and there is certainty of no harm to those vaccinated — are legitimate "if there is evidence that a perilous and contagious disease can be defeated as a result."
"In the coronavirus era, there was no such evidence, which meant that mandatory vaccination could not be legitimized," Nass added.
"Under no circumstances should individuals be sacrificed in favor of the majority; that would be a capitulation to crude utilitarianism."
Concerning the new European vaccination passport, Schallenberg told CNA Deutsch that "understandably, so many mistakes were made" during the coronavirus crisis "that a thorough parliamentary and transparent review must first take place before a new system is introduced."
Nass also warned: "Instead of rushing ahead and unilaterally propagating the undoubted advantages of such an ID card, in a republic that is committed to the rights of minorities, we would like to see the inclusion of people who were considered vaccination skeptics a few years ago."
Medical professionals within the Catholic community have called for better preparation for future health crises.
Dr. José María Simón Castellví, president emeritus of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FIAMC), emphasized in a recent essay that "everything possible must be done to keep the churches open and operational" during future pandemics.
He urged Catholic leaders to consult with medical professionals and other experts to develop comprehensive contingency plans.
AC Wimmer is founding Editor-in-Chief of CNA Deutsch. The multilingual Australian, raised in Bavaria and South Africa, held senior roles at Australia's SBS and served as editor-in-chief of the historic Münchner Kirchenzeitung. A graduate in Philosophy and Chinese Studies from the University of Melbourne, Anian Christoph Wimmer — Chinese name 刘威猛 — sat on the jury of the Media Award of the German Bishops' Conference, is a former Honorary Research Fellow in Communications at the University of Melbourne and served on the Board of Caritas in Munich.
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