Participants in Pfizer's trial received four doses of the vaccine candidate. According to the company, there was a 73.2 percent efficacy in disease prevention 28 days after the final dose, compared with the placebo group.
“Lyme disease can cause potentially serious consequences – where individuals and families face symptoms that can disrupt daily life, work, and long-term health – and there is currently no vaccine available,” said Annaliesa Anderson, senior vice president and chief vaccines officer for Pfizer, in a statement.
The drug is being developed as a collaboration between Pfizer and Valneva.
There are currently no approved vaccines for Lyme disease in humans. Some estimates suggest there could be as many as 476,000 cases each year.
The disease is caused by the Borrelia bacteria, which are spread through tick bites. Most cases can be treated and resolved quickly with a round of antibiotics.
The vaccine candidate works by targeting outer surface proteins of the Borrelia bacteria, helping a person's body create antibodies to the pathogen. Antibodies attach to bacteria inside the tick, inhibiting its ability to leave the insect.
