Image Credit: Elena Perova 
Pfizer is seeking regulatory approval for a new vaccine it claims would prevent Lyme disease, as several states gear up for the worst tick season ever amid an uptick in alpha-gal syndrome meat allergies.
Last month, the company released Phase 3 efficacy trial data for its new VALOR (“Vaccine Against Lyme for Outdoor Recreationists”) jab, saying it “demonstrated more than 70% efficacy in preventing Lyme disease in individuals aged five years and above.”
“Given the clinically meaningful efficacy… Pfizer is confident in the vaccine’s potential and is planning submissions to regulatory authorities,” a press release stated.
Here’s how the jab would work:
When a person is immunized with PF-07307405, their body creates antibodies against six Borrelia OspA serotypes. As the tick feeds on the vaccinated person, these antibodies are ingested by the tick as part of its blood meal. Binding of vaccine-induced antibodies to OspA on Borrelia inside the tick inhibits the bacterium’s ability to leave the tick, preventing it from being transmitted to the human host.
LYMErix, a similar Lyme-preventing vaccine, was introduced in 1998 and withdrawn from the market in 2002 after reports of arthritis and other serious long-term problems sparked lawsuits and killed demand.
News of the forthcoming Lyme vaccine comes as residents across much of the eastern United States are being warned this summer could be one of the worst tick seasons in years, with major increases in Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome cases being blamed on black-legged and lone star ticks respectively.
“The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says last May saw a 30% increase in emergency room visits for tick-borne illnesses compared to the year before,” reported WBAY.
While Lyme disease can cause debilitating symptoms including fever, fatigue, and joint pain, alpha-gal is a potentially life-threatening condition that can trigger delayed reactions like anaphylaxis following red meat consumption.
For instance, alpha-gal syndrome was blamed for the mysterious death of a Jet Blue pilot in 2024.
The New York Times described alpha-gal syndrome in a recent piece:
The tick’s saliva contains a sugar molecule called alpha-gal. That same molecule is found in the meat of many mammals, including pigs and cows. The tick’s bite can trigger an overactive immune response, leading to allergic reactions when alpha-gal is encountered again. Some people develop hives, diarrhea or vomiting after eating a hamburger or bacon, or consuming dairy.
Some states are now moving to monitor alpha-gal syndrome; Massachusetts recently began allowing residents to report cases, and a bill in Missouri is making its way through the legislature. Meanwhile, other states are calling for similar tracking.
Recreationalists are being urged to take precautions when enjoying wooded nature areas, including covering their necks, wearing light-colored clothes, long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks and regularly checking for ticks, with Time Magazine advising hikers to “consider taping the opening of boots or shoes to your socks as well.”
Cornell Integrated Pest Management coordinator Joellen Lampman also says tucking one’s pants into their socks may look silly, but isn’t a bad idea.
“I don’t know how to get a celebrity to make tucking pants into socks cool,” Lampman told Time. “But what I tell people is that ticks are starting down at your feet and climbing up; they’re not dropping out of trees. If your pants are untucked, they get underneath your pant leg and aim for the moist, dark parts of the body where they like to feed.”
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