According to the peer reviewed biomedical literature, the proprietary fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), named as Avemar, has significant anticancer and immune modulatory properties.1 In laboratory animals with impaired immunity, healthy immune functions were completely restored by orally administered Avemar.2
Due to its positive effects on the immune functions, concomitantly administered Avemar will not reduce the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and Avemar may even advantageously impact the immune response to vaccination.
This statement is based on the following data.
In vivo cancer studies showed potent immune modulatory activity of Avemar. Administration of Avemar significantly increased the ratio of CD4+ T and NK cells and also remarkably activated the monocytes.3
It has been well established that individuals who received vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, developed protective and enduring immunity with sustained T cell immune responses against the novel coronavirus.
When responding to the viral antigene, these T cells (mostly CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and the corresponding memory cells) produce effectors such as the antiviral cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) to protect the individual from virus infection.4
To prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, CD4+ T cell responses are of primary importance and immunity is maintained by memory T cells. It has been reported that SARS-CoV-2 specific CD4+ T cells prevented serious COVID-19 disease in virus infected patients.
In COVID-19, the lack of CD4+ T cells was associated with lethal outcome. In laboratory experiments, IFN-γ produced by SARS-CoV-2 specific CD4+ T cells prevented fatal outcomes.5
In COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials with BNT162b1, the vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, robust CD4+ T cell responses, interferon-γ production, and strong antibody responses against the receptor binding domains of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were found with even the low dose of the vaccine.6
It can be stated that Avemar, with its well-established immune modulatory properties, certainly shall not reduce the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
There are signs indicating that administration of Avemar may even positively influence the specific immune response boosting activities of COVID-19 vaccines.
In broiler chickens, immunized against infective bursitis and fowl pest (Newcastle disease), specific antibody titers were significantly higher when the animals were fed with FWGE containing feeds. It has been concluded that administration of FWGE to farm animals favourably influences the immune response after vaccination. These results have been confirmed also by large scale immunization experiments with chickens and other farm animals.7, 8
In conclusion, we can say that Avemar administered simultaneously with COVID-19 vaccines, definitely will not reduce the efficacy of immunization and will likely have a positive impact.
Prof. Dr. habil. Máté Hidvégi PhD February 15, 2021
1 Boros LG, Nichelatti M, Shoenfeld Y (2005): Fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) in the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1051:529-542.
2 Hidvégi M, Rásó E, Tömösközi-Farkas R, Lapis K, Szende B (1999): Effect of MSC on the immune response of mice. Immunopharmacology 41:183-186.
3 Abuhay M, O'Donnell R, Ma Y, Xiong C, Tuscano J (2014): FWGP activates the immune system. J Immunol 192(1):S203.12.
4 Sewell HF, Agius RM, Kendrick D, Stewart M (2020): Covid-19 vaccines: delivering protective immunity. BMJ 2020;371:m4838.
5 Sette A, Crotty S (2021): Adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Cell, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.007.
6 Sahin U, […] Karikó K, […] Türeci Ö (2020): COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b1 elicits human antibody and TH1 T cell responses. Nature 586:594-599.
7 Bajcsy E (2003): Fermentált búzacsíra (FWGE = Immunovet-HBM) kivonat teljesítmény-javító és immunválasz-serkentő hatásának vizsgálata tojóhibrid szülőpár állományon. Bábolna Tetra Kft., Bábolna.
8 Rafai P (2003): Jelentés az Immunovet-HBM növendék sertések immunrendszerére, néhány anyagforgalmi paraméterére, valamint a szervezet szabadgyök elleni védelmi rendszerére gyakorolt hatásának vizsgálatáról. Szent István Egyetem Állatorvos-tudományi Kar, Budapest.