Pfizer says changing the vaccine against COVID-19 to better target the omicron variant is safe and effective.
The update, in a statement released Saturday, comes just days before regulators determine whether Americans should receive another round of booster vaccines, starting this fall.
The most widely used vaccines currently in circulation are targeted primarily at the original, more dangerous but less viral strain of coronavirus. However, their effectiveness against any infection decreases significantly when the super-infectious omicron mutant appears.
The Food and Drug Administration will consider this week whether to order a change in the formula for vaccines made by both Pfizer PFE, + 2.99%, and its partner BioNTech BNTX, + 1.32%, as well as their rival. Moderna MRNA, + 0.71%, in the hope that the modified boosters could better protect against another jump in COVID-19, expected this fall and winter. Other major countries are considering the same change.
Read: Sanofi, GSK say next-generation COVID-19 amplifier has 72% efficiency against omicron
“Based on these data, we believe we have two very strong Omicron-adapted candidates that elicit a significantly higher immune response against Omicron than we’ve seen before,” said Pfizer CEO Albert Burla.
The statement said companies were ready to “quickly adapt” updated vaccines to target newer versions of the virus if necessary.
Pfizer says it has explored two different ways to update their photos – targeting omicron only or a combination booster that adds omicron protection to the original vaccine. The company and its partner also tested whether to maintain the current recommended dose of 30 micrograms or double their strength.
In a study of more than 1,200 middle-aged and older adults who already had three doses of the vaccine, Pfizer said both booster approaches showed a significant increase in antibodies fighting omicron.
Several experts said that combined injections might be the best approach because they would retain the proven benefits of the original COVID-19 vaccine while adding new protection against omicron.
Pfizer said that a month after people received his combination injection, they had a 9- to 11-fold increase in omicron-fighting antibodies. This is more than 1.5 times better than another dose of the original vaccine, the Associated Press reported.
Moderna recently announced similar test results for its combination vaccine, or what scientists call a “bivalent” vaccine.
The Associated Press contributed.
Add Comment