# Lyme disease vaccine development and rising cases

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lyme-disease-vaccine-development-and-rising-cases
> Updated: 2026-08-14T11:00:02.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Development of a new Lyme disease vaccine is progressing through clinical trials as public health concerns grow. In Finland, a late-stage trial involving nearly 10,000 participants is testing a candidate developed by Valneva and Pfizer. This vaccine aims to protect against common European Borrelia strains by inducing antibodies that block bacterial transmission when ingested by a feeding tick. Preliminary data indicates a booster dose may yield 70–75% efficacy.

The push for new preventative measures follows a significant rise in reported Lyme disease cases in Canada. Data from the Public Health Agency of Canada shows cases increasing from 144 in 2009 to 5,809 in 2024, with preliminary 2025 figures reaching 7,105. This development follows the discontinuation of the previous vaccine, LYMErix, which was only on the market for three years until 2002.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-14: Muslim Association of Canada addresses discriminatory incident; Jason Arday found dead

The Muslim Association of Canada apologized for a discriminatory phrase shown at a Toronto convention, while former Cambridge professor Jason Arday was found dead following a plagiarism scandal.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lyme-disease-vaccine-development-advances-amid-rising-case-numbers

### 2026-08-03: Finland advances experimental Lyme disease vaccine targeting ticks

Finland tests a novel Lyme disease vaccine that blocks bacteria in ticks, showing 70‑75% efficacy, while also extending free water‑virus vaccination to adults lacking immunity.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/finland-advances-experimental-lyme-disease-vaccine-targeting-ticks

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Cite as: Lyme disease vaccine development and rising cases. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lyme-disease-vaccine-development-and-rising-cases