October 22nd 2024.
Every year in the UK, thousands of people are hospitalized due to the norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It is responsible for about 12,000 hospital admissions annually and causes around 200,000 deaths globally, with a quarter of those being children. It's a serious illness that can affect people of all ages, with a higher incidence during the winter months.
But there's good news on the horizon. A first-of-its-kind vaccine against the norovirus is being trialled in the UK, using the same technology that was used in the successful Covid jab. The new mRNA vaccine, developed by Moderna, has shown promising results in its initial trials, with a strong immune response being triggered in participants.
The vaccine targets three different strains of the norovirus by teaching the immune system to recognize foreign proteins and launch an attack against them. This is a significant breakthrough, as currently there is no vaccine available to combat the virus and seriously ill patients can only receive treatment through intravenous fluids.
Dr. Patrick Moore, the chief investigator of the study, emphasized the impact of the virus on people's health, stating that it can affect anyone at any age and is not limited to just the winter months. In the UK alone, there are around 80 deaths each year from the norovirus, with the majority of them being older adults and immunocompromised patients.
The trial for the new vaccine involves 27 NHS hospitals and centers in England, Scotland, and Wales, with some even sending mobile clinics to care homes and other community sites. This will enable a diverse group of participants to take part in the trial, with the aim of getting 2,500 people signed up by the end of the year. Half of the participants will receive the vaccine while the other half will be given a placebo.
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has welcomed the trial, highlighting the potential impact it could have on reducing the burden on the NHS. He stated that the virus costs taxpayers around £100 million every year and a successful vaccine could shift the focus towards prevention rather than just treatment.
The trial also includes participants from the US, Canada, and Japan, bringing the international total to around 25,000. If the vaccine proves to be effective, Moderna plans to submit it for approval by regulators in 2026. Professor Lucy Chappell, the chief scientific adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care, emphasized the potential of this novel vaccine to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable citizens and reduce the burden of seasonal illness on the NHS. She also commended the collaboration between the DHSC, NIHR, and Moderna to deliver this large-scale trial at a fast pace, with the hope of bringing benefits to people in the UK and around the world sooner.
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