Polyoxidonium® drug and Grippol® Quadrivalent vaccine are included in the guidelines for ARVIs prevention

In October 2022, the Federal Medical and Biological Agency published updated guidelines «Influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: prevention and treatment», and included Polyoxidonium^® drug and Grippol^® Quadrivalent influenza vaccine in the guidelines.

Since 2020, medical community experts are combating the new coronavirus infection. The new strains emergence and various disease manifestations are still in focus among the leading international experts. The population regularly faces other acute respiratory infections, especially during epidemic season apart from COVID-19 pandemic.

The infection incidence structure in Russia consists of 95-97% of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) registered in 26.25% of the population (2021), that is 4% more than in 2020^[1]. The 2021-2022 epidemic season was characterized by an early onset of influenza and ARVIs incidence, while citizens vaccinated against influenza were less likely and easier to tolerate the disease.

In the early years of the coronavirus pandemic, the influenza viruses circulation decreased significantly due to the restrictive measures and personal protective equipment (PPE) wearing; now experts are warning about a possible burst in the influenza incidence in the 2022-2023 season because of the predicted new strains circulation.

The vaccine prevention of the population aimed at the reduction of contamination risks, complications development and mortality from the dangerous infection is capable of coping with the influenza incidence rate. The preventive immunization also limits the risk of developing a new pathogen strain. According to experts, it is necessary to get vaccinated against influenza 2-3 weeks before the start of the epidemic season, that is from September to November.

According to WHO recommendations, it is optimal to use quadrivalent influenza vaccines. Among other vaccines included in the methodological recommendations of the FMBA of Russia, the domestic quadrivalent vaccine Grippol^® Quadrivalent containing the Azoximer bromide adjuvant and protecting against 2 strains of type A influenza virus and 2 lines of type B viruses is noted. The Grippol^® Quadrivalent vaccine was developed according to the technology for the Grippol^® family production; these vaccines are widely used in Russia and abroad, also within the state immunization programs.

The updated FMBA recommendations for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases also include drugs for immunocorrection, i.a. Polyoxidonium (INN: Azoximer bromide). A recently published meta-analysis of the results of three clinical trials aimed at Azoximer bromide (Polyoxidonium) usage for the prevention of ARIs and COVID-19 in adults aged 18 to 69 years at increased risk showed that drug administration reduced the disease probability more than 3 times.

The results of previous trials demonstrate that Azoximer bromide increases the body’s ability to develop an adaptive immune response and normalizes the immunity parameters of the T-cell link (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+)^[2],[3] facilitating the accelerate recovery and the reducing the overall body intoxication in acute and chronic infectious and inflammatory diseases.^[4]

The combination of vaccination and additional preventive measures can improve disease control, including patients of high risk group.

¹Azoximer bromide usage experience for prevention of acute respiratory infections and COVID-19 in adults of high risk group of contamination (Red Zone health workers): meta-analysis of controlled сlinical trials | Kh.G. Omarova, A.A. Ploskireva, I.A. Agarkova, A.V. Gorelov (rmj.ru).

²Alexia C, (2019) Polyoxidonium® Activates Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Responses Through Dendritic Cell Maturation: Clinical Effects in Breast Cancer. Front. Immunol. 10:2693. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02693. Пащенкова М. В., ФГБУ ГНЦ «Институт иммунологии» ФМБА.

³Петров, Р. В., P. M. Хаитов, А. В. Некрасов, Р. И. Аттаулаханов, Н. Г. Пучкова, А. С. Иванова, Борис Владимирович Пинегин, К. Ф. Хамидуллина, С. В. Дамбаева, и С. В. Климова. «Полиоксидоний, механизм действия и клиническое применение». Medical Immunology (Russia) 2, вып. 3 (2000 г.): 271–78.

⁴Караулов А.В., Горелов А.В. Применение азоксимера бромида в терапии инфекционно-воспалительных заболеваний органов дыхания у детей: мета-анализ контролируемых клинических исследований. Журнал инфектологии, Том 11, №4, 2019. с. 31-41