Statistically home to one of the highest percentages of tick-borne illnesses in the world, Martha’s Vineyard will soon be the setting for a clinical trial of a vaccine aimed at preventing Lyme disease.
Michael Loberg, president of Vineyard Medical Care in Vineyard Haven, confirmed this week that scientists employed by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with French Pharmaceutical Company Valneva, are in the development phase of creating a vaccine against borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria present in deer ticks that causes Lyme disease.
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with French Pharmaceutical Company Valneva, will conduct a clinical trial of a newly developed Lyme vaccine on the Vineyard in August.
— Mark Alan Lovewell
Lyme disease has reached epidemic proportions on the Island, according to Mr. Loberg, who is also a member of the Tisbury board of health. The prevalence of Lyme and other tick-borne illness makes the Vineyard an ideal setting for further research and phase three trial of the vaccine.
“When companies are conducting clinical trials they need to go to places where there will be a large number of people with the conditions,” Mr. Loberg said. “Clearly, with the numbers we have at Vineyard Medical Care there are a lot of people here with Lyme disease. We, along with the Island’s health agents, consider Lyme prevention the number one unmet health need on the Island.”
Mr. Loberg said phase one and two of Pfizer’s research, which tested the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, have already been completed. The third phase is focused on measuring the extent of protection the vaccine provides.
The trials will be conducted by Care Access, a clinical trial company contracted by Pfizer. Trailers operated by Care Access will be stationed in various places around the Island to process the Vineyard residents volunteering for the trial.
Tisbury health agent Maura Valley expressed optimism about the trial, stressing how much a vaccine against Lyme would mean to the residents of the Vineyard.
“It’s a great opportunity for the Island,” Ms. Valley said. “While not directly involved with this trial, the Island boards of health are here to support the development of any vaccine and do whatever we have to do to help, especially with public outreach,” she added.
Patrick Roden-Reynolds, a public health biologist and the new Island tick expert, said in a recent interview that between 40 and 60 per cent of deer ticks on the Vineyard are estimated to carry Lyme disease.
The exact number of those infected with Lyme is difficult to calculate as the Massachusetts Department of Health only counts cases reported by state labs — and Lyme is often diagnosed and treated through symptoms without a blood test.
Mr. Roden-Reynolds urged anyone who lives on the Island, or has recently visited, and displays Lyme symptoms such as fever, headache, joint aches and swelling to contact their physician.
According to the Valneva website, the vaccine in development (VLA15) is the only active vaccine program in clinical development against Lyme disease.
The trial will be in a double-blind, placebo-controlled format, and will take place beginning in August and running into 2023. Vineyard residents, including children above the age of five, are encouraged to volunteer.
