Image by Emmanuel Boutet via WikipediaRecently, transplant recipients around the globe received some good news. Astellas has developed a new vaccine to combat cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV is not usually an issue for people with normal, healthy immune systems. It will normally just lie dormant in their bodies if they contract it. However, in people with compromised immune systems, such as transplant recipients, the virus can "wake up" and cause havoc making them ill. After my transplant, I took an anti-viral medication for a while as a precaution against CMV.The vaccine developed by Astellas is called TransVax. Astellas is slated to begin a Phase 3 trial in stem cell transplant recipients and a Phase 2 trial in organ transplant recipients in 2012. They will then market the vaccine in the U.S. and the rest of the world. TransVax will provide transplant recipients with an additional level of safety in that CMV will be one less thing they have to be concerned about on their post-transplant journey. In my opinion, that's a good thing.
Thanks Astellas.
Source : fiercebiotech.com article titled Vical, Astellas Iink $130M Vaccine Licensing Deal
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