New study indicates the value of booster vacci... - CLL Support

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New study indicates the value of booster vaccinations and monoclonal antibody (Evusheld) protection to blood cancer patients

bennevisplace profile image
9 Replies

This study acsjournals.onlinelibrary.w... covers a range of haematological malignancies and includes only 48 subjects with CLL, so you may feel its conclusions are a bit over-generalised. It does though corroborate the interim findings of the yet-to-be-published CLL study by the Birmingham (UK) University group cell.com/cancer-cell/pdf/S1... that more patients gained more antibodiies after their first and second booster vaccinations.

The data on which the authors base their conclusion that passive immunization using tixagevimab/cilgavimab in case of lack of seroconversion, effectively eliminated the risk of COVID-19 death are a bit thin, as indicated by the value p = 0.149 in Fig 4F. This won't stop everyone wanting to get their hands on Evusheld.

The data cutoff of 28 February 2022 means that participants had at least some potential exposure to the Omicron variant.

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CycleWonder profile image
CycleWonder

Good timing! I’m heading in to get my 5th Covid vaccine!

Fran57 profile image
Fran57

Thanks very much.Stay safe,

Fran 😷

richardp profile image
richardp

Another interesting study- thanks for highlighting. You mention the Birmingham University study which I , along with many CLL members , participated in.I received an email from them on 13th June with a copy of their published paper in Cancer Cell which you mentioned and also a clinical interpretation. I have copied an extract from the latter:Antibody data

• 80% of participants had a detectable antibody response following the 3rd dose. This is an improvement from 67% observed following the second dose. However, it is still lower than the value of 100% in healthy age-matched ‘control’ people.

• Importantly this means that 20% of participants do not make a detectable response.

• Following the 4th dose, the response rate reaches a plateau and no further improvement in response rate is seen.

Interestingly , I am currently awaiting a response from Monitor My Health for my latest anitibody test following my 5th vaccine.

bennevisplace profile image
bennevisplace in reply to richardp

Thanks Richard. Well done for joining the study.

What Parry et al published in Cell in May is just a synopsis. After all the work the group did and the data they amassed I am expecting a full blown paper with all the details, maybe as a pre-print first. Do you have any idea when?

annmcgowan profile image
annmcgowan

Hi thank you for posting. I was on the Birmingham study to which did not provide personal feedback however they did show that people like me on ibrutinib did not produce many if any antibodies. I had a test done by my haematologist which showed I had produced none. In that case I would be keen to get evusheld. Does the fact the data is weak in this study for the use of these prophylaxis suggestit won’t be prescribe in the near future.?

This confuses me as to my knowledge evusheld is being prescribed across Europe and elsewhere irrespective of data to back it up!!

I have written to my MP on many occasions and had no reply. I will be following this up.

The subject of evusheld has been raised in parliament twice and the outcome where MP’s were told its efficacy on omicron wad being investigated. Do they refer to the Birmingham study or other studies being done on behalf of the Government?

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Ann

bennevisplace profile image
bennevisplace in reply to annmcgowan

The authors of this new study concluded that Evusheld gave blood cancer patients good protection against catching Covid. It was I who suggested that the data were a bit thin - purely a personal view.

Regulatory approval/ authorisation for Evusheld was based on the much bigger PROVENT study (not specifically in cancer patients) which pre-dated the Omicron variant. The UK was one of the last of the major economies to approve Evusheld, and there's still no sign that hm gov is going to fund its use. I am sceptical about stories of government-sponsored research into its efficacy against Omicron. Surely the burden of proof would be left with Astrazeneca, who in fact are continuing the PROVENT trial until at least August 2023.

I think the reality is that hm gov has decided that for Covid in its present guise, "protecting" a million or so people with Evusheld is an expensive option of uncertain benefit, versus treating far fewer Covid patients with antivirals. A big difference in bangs per buck.

annmcgowan profile image
annmcgowan in reply to bennevisplace

Thank you for the reply. I agree it seems to me it’s about money. Until the government provide us with the outcome of their investigations into evusheld and an explanation if they are not going to provide it we remain in limbo which is frustrating to say the least.

Ann

bennevisplace profile image
bennevisplace in reply to annmcgowan

Frustrating indeed, and I understand that when striving to get something unobtainable, one tends to value it very highly.

Having received Evusheld myself (in the extended trial) I tell myself it hasn't been clinically tested against the various Omicron variants - more of which are spinning off every week it seems - and I remain cautious. If the symptoms of the current Omicron variants in the UK were as severe as previous VOCs and Wuhan Covid, I would be shielding just as before.

annmcgowan profile image
annmcgowan

Thank you your reply helps.Ann

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