Favipiravir pharmacokinetics in Thai adults with mild COVID-19: A sub-study of interpatient variability and ethnic differences in exposure.

This sub-study sought to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of favipiravir (FPV) within Thai adults and quantitatively assess differences in exposure to those previously reported in other populations as a basis to understand putative differences in efficacy between studies conducted in different regions. It was nested within a prospective trial of adults with symptomatic COVID-19 infection without pneumonia receiving 1800 mg FPV twice-daily on day 1 and 800 mg twice-daily thereafter. Individual PK profiles were fitted with a one-compartment disposition model (first-order absorption).

Genome sequence of dengue virus serotype 1 isolated from a pediatric patient enrolled in an Ivermectin trial in Thailand.

We sequenced the genome of dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV1) strain 4101301, isolated from a child with dengue fever in Thailand and cultured in C6/36 mosquito cells. These data are crucial for studying DENV1's genetic diversity, evolution, and epidemiology and advancing the knowledge for developing antiviral drugs and vaccines targeting DENV.

Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 as a first booster after a ChAdOx1 primary series in a Thai geriatric population living with frailty.

Objectives: Impact of frailty towards immunogenicity and reactogenicity of BNT162b2 boosters administered via intramuscular or intradermal routes in a Thai geriatric population DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, open-labeled.

Setting: Siriraj Hospital, Thailand.

Participants: Geriatric adults aged ≥65 years.

A pilot program of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in Thai youth.

Introduction: There are gaps in knowledge and experience of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery in adolescents.

Methods: This pilot study enrolled Thai adolescents 14-20 year-old without HIV who reported risk behaviour. All participants were offered daily tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF-FTC) and followed for 24 weeks.

Immunogenicity and safety of BNT162b2 vaccination in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: We evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of BNT162b2 vaccination in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus (adoSLE) receiving either high- or low-dose immunosuppressant (High-IS and Low-IS).

Methods: Patients aged 12-18 years diagnosed with SLE were enrolled. High-IS was defined as >7.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of repeated intradermal mRNA COVID-19 vaccines administered as a second booster dose in a Thai geriatric population.

Background: Geriatric populations are at an increased risk of severe presentations, hospitalization, and loss of life from COVID-19. Few studies have explored vaccination regimens in adults >65 years old. Repeated booster vaccination is required for high-risk populations as COVID-19 vaccine efficacy is short-lived.

Outreach strategies to promote HIV testing and linkage-to-care focusing on a young sexual and gender-diverse population in Bangkok, Thailand.

Introduction: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevalence among young gender-diverse (a wide range of gender identities for people whose gender identity is different from the sex that they were assigned at birth) individuals is high but testing coverage among this key population remains low. We aim to evaluate strategies for outreach, HIV testing, and linkage to proper management in young men-who-have-had-sex-with-men (MSM, homosexual male) and transgender women (TGW) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Methods: The "YM2M outreach program" consisted of two strategies: 1) online platforms (OP) and 2) physical outreach activities (POA).

Effective and safe transfer of maternal antibodies persisting two months postpartum following maternal immunization with different doses of recombinant pertussis-containing vaccines.

Introduction: Recombinant acellular pertussis (ap) vaccines containing genetically inactivated pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) with or without tetanus (TT) and diphtheria (DT) vaccines (Td) were found safe and immunogenic in non-pregnant and pregnant women. We report here maternal antibody transfer and safety data in mothers and neonates.

Methods: This is the follow up of a phase 2 trial in 2019 among 400 pregnant women who randomly received one dose of recombinant pertussis-only vaccine containing 1 µg PT and 1 µg FHA (ap1), or Td combined with ap1 (Tdap1), or with 2 µg PT and 5 µg FHA (Tdap2), or with 5 µg PT and 5 µg FHA (TdaP5 Boostagen®, BioNet, Thailand) or chemically-inactivated acellular pertussis comparator (Tdap8 Boostrix™, GSK, Belgium), either in the second or third trimester of gestation.

Serial head circumference measurements should be used to classify congenital microcephaly.

Background: Measuring the maximum occipitofrontal circumference only once at birth or within 24 h after birth may lead to misclassifications of microcephaly. This study compared the head circumference (HC) of newborns at birth or within 24 h after birth to their third day of life (DOL3) as well as evaluated maternal- and infant-specific factors associated with increased HC by DOL3.

Methods: This prospective study included 1131 live births between February and May 2019 with a gestational age > 27 weeks.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of fractional, heterologous primary COVID-19 vaccination schedules with BNT162b2 boosters in 5-11-year-old Thai children: A multicenter, prospective, double-blind, randomized control trial.

Objective: To evaluate immunogenicity and safety of heterologous COVID-19 primary vaccination regimens of CoronaVac with fractional and standard BNT162b2 dosages in 5-11-year-old Thai children.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized control trial divided participants 1:1:1:1 to receive a second dose of either standard (10-μg) or half-dose (5-μg) BNT162b2 vaccines as follows: CoronaVac/10-μg-BNT162b2 (Group 1), CoronaVac/5-μg-BNT162b2 (Group 2), 10-μg-BNT162b2/10-μg-BNT162b2 (Group 3), or 10-μg-BNT162b2/5-μg-BNT162b2 (Group 4). A subset of participants from each arm received 10-μg-BNT162b2 booster (third) doses 16 weeks after their second vaccination.

Considerations for vaccinating children against COVID-19.

COVID-19 vaccines have been introduced in children and adolescents in many countries. However, high levels of community transmission and infection-derived immunity make the decision to introduce COVID-19 vaccination of children in countries yet to do so particularly challenging. For example, other vaccine preventable diseases, including measles and polio, generally have far higher childhood morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) than COVID-19, and coverage with these vaccines has declined during the pandemic.

The immunogenicity and reactogenicity of four COVID-19 booster vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 variants following CoronaVac or ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 primary series.

Background: The appropriate COVID-19 booster vaccine following inactivated or adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccination is unclear.

Objective: To investigate the immunogenicity of four COVID-19 booster vaccines.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled healthy adults who received a two-dose CoronaVac or ChAdOx1 8-12 weeks earlier and allocated them to receive one of the following booster vaccine: inactivated (BBIBP-CorV), ChAdOx1 or mRNA (BNT162b2 at full [30 μg] and half [15 μg] dose) vaccines.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugated vaccine and the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine among Thai older adult.

Introduction: This study aims to assess the economic impact of introducing the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) to Thai older adult aged ≥ 65  years who are healthy or with chronic health conditions and immunocompromised conditions from a societal perspective in order to introduce the vaccine to Thailand's National Immunization Program for the older adult.

Methods: A Markov model was adopted to simulate the natural history and economic outcomes of invasive pneumococcal diseases using updated published sources and Thai databases. We reported analyses as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) in USD per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women.

This open-labeled non-inferiority trial evaluated immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous and homologous COVID-19 vaccination schedules in pregnant Thai women. 18-45-year-old pregnant women with no history of COVID-19 infection or vaccination and a gestational age of ≥12 weeks were randomized 1:1:1 into three two-dose primary series scheduled 4 weeks apart: BNT162b2-BNT162b2 (Group 1), ChAdOx1-BNT162b2 (Group 2), and CoronaVac-BNT162b2 (Group 3). Serum antibody responses, maternal and cord blood antibody levels at delivery, and adverse events (AEs) following vaccination until delivery were assessed.

A phase 2 randomized controlled dose-ranging trial of recombinant pertussis booster vaccines containing genetically inactivated pertussis toxin in pregnant women.

Introduction: Despite a decrease in infections caused by Bordetella pertussis due to COVID-19 pandemic, booster vaccination of pregnant women is still recommended to protect newborns. Highly immunogenic vaccines containing genetically inactivated pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) may generate comparable anti-PT antibody concentrations, even at lower doses, to chemically inactivated acellular pertussis vaccines (Tdap) shown effective for maternal immunization.

Methods: This phase 2 randomized, observer-blind, active-controlled non-inferiority trial was conducted in healthy Thai pregnant women randomly assigned to receive one dose of low-dose recombinant pertussis-only vaccine containing 1 µg PT and 1 µg FHA (ap1), or tetanus, reduced-dose diphtheria combined with ap1 (Tdap1), or combined with 2 µg PT and 5 µg FHA (Tdap2), or with 5 µg PT and 5 µg FHA (TdaP5, Boostagen®) or comparator containing 8 µg of chemically inactivated pertussis toxoid, 8 µg FHA, and 2.

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of licensed dose intranasal corticosteroids for moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

No evidence shows that one intranasal corticosteroid (INCS) is better than another for treating moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis (AR). This network meta-analysis assessed the comparative efficacy and acceptability of licensed dose aqueous INCSs. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched until 31 March 2022.

Pneumococcal carriage among high-risk adults in a country with nonmandatory pneumococcal vaccination during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage is a prerequisite for clinical infections and is used to make public health decisions on vaccine licensure. Pneumococcal carriage data among high-risk Thai adults are needed before national vaccine program introduction. The association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pneumococcal carriage were also investigated.

Immunogenicity and Reactogenicity of Messenger RNA Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine Booster Administered by Intradermal or Intramuscular Route in Thai Older Adults.

Background: Intradermal (ID) vaccination may alleviate COVID-19 vaccine shortages and vaccine hesitancy.

Methods: Persons aged ≥65 years who were vaccinated with 2-dose ChAdOx1 12-24 weeks earlier were randomized to receive a booster vaccination by either ID (20 µg mRNA-1273 or 10 µg BNT162b2) or intramuscular (IM) (100 µg mRNA-1273 or 30 µg BNT162b2) route. Anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G (IgG), neutralizing antibody (NAb), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ)-producing cells were measured at 2-4 weeks following vaccination.

A new era of the Asian clinical research network: a report from the ATLAS international symposium.

This report summarizes the presentations and discussions in the first Asian Clinical Trials Network for Cancers (ATLAS) international symposium that was held on 24 April 2022, in Bangkok, Thailand, and hosted by the National Cancer Center Hospital (NCCH), co-hosted by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM) and the Thai Society of Clinical Oncology (TSCO), and supported by Embassy of Japan in Thailand. Since 2020, the NCCH has conducted the ATLAS project to enhance research environments and infrastructures to facilitate international clinical research and cancer genomic medicine in the Asian region. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss what we can achieve under the ATLAS project, to share the latest topics and common issues in cancer research and to facilitate mutual understanding.

Case Report: Reemerging Paragonimiasis in Umphang District, Thailand.

Paragonimiasis is a food-born zoonotic parasitosis caused by Paragonimus spp. Six cases of reemerging paragonimiasis within the Karan hill-tribe near the Thai-Myanmar border were evaluated to review clinical manifestations, predisposing factors, and treatment regimens. All patients tested positive for paragonimiasis eggs and presented with an array of symptoms, including chronic cough, hemoptysis, peripheral eosinophilia, and thoracic radiograph abnormalities.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of accelerated regimens of fractional intradermal COVID-19 vaccinations.

Introduction: This phase I study explored the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of accelerated, Q7 fractional, intradermal vaccination regimens for COVID-19.

Methods: Participants (n = 60) aged 18-60 years, naïve to SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, were randomly allocated into one of four homologous or heterologous accelerated two-dose, two-injection intradermal regimens seven days apart:(1) BNT162b2-BNT162b2(n= 20),(2) ChAdOx1- BNT162b2 (n = 20), (3) CoronaVac-ChAdOx1 (n = 10), and (4) ChAdOx1-ChAdOx1 (n = 10). CoronaVac and ChAdOx1 were 20%, and BNT162b2 17%, of their standard intramuscular doses (0.