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The UK is the first country to approve a modernized SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccine. Moderny’s preparation is effective against the starting coronavirus, i.e. the Wuhan strain, but also the currently dominant variant. The targeted vaccine in Omikron will soon be available also in Poland. What do we know about her?
- The targeted vaccine is effective both against the primary variant of the virus (from Wuhan) and the newest one – Omikron
- Moderna is the first company to propose a modernized SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Its formulation has already been approved in the UK
- The vaccine is highly effective – the titers of neutralizing antibodies against BA.4 / BA.5 increased 5,4-fold from baseline in patients who had had vaccination or a previous infection
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
What is a targeted vaccine?
At the beginning, an important note: a targeted vaccine is not a scientific term, but a common name referring to the purpose of the preparation. In the case of a coronavirus vaccine, it is protection against a specific variant (or variants) of a given pathogen. Such “modernization” is important and necessary, because through mutations viruses “learn” to bypass the immune response that our body develops after the first contact with a microorganism – both in the form of a live virus (infection) and its vector or encoded genetic information ( vaccine).
In the case of SARS-CoV-2, the targeted vaccine reduces the risk of severe course and death caused by infection with both the primary variant of the coronavirus and the dominant one, i.e. Omikron.
Manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines have been working on improving their formulations for months. This work was hampered by the fact that the virus mutates very quickly, many variants appear, and even those that “break through”, ie are able to displace the previous ones and dominate the environment in which they circulate, produce subtypes. This is the case, for example, in the case of Omikron, which developed several very infectious sublines within nine months of its detection, eg BA.4 or BA.5.
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The first vaccine targeting Omikron will be from Moderna
The «race» for the targeted vaccine was won by Moderna, whose Spikevax vaccine in a modified version of the Omikron variant has already been approved in the UK.
The UK Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) announced in mid-August that Moderna’s product, containing 25 µg of the anti-original vaccine and 25 µg of the vaccine developed for the Omikron variant, meets safety, quality and efficacy standards.
The clinical trials, to which the company invited 437 people, show that the modernized vaccine is able to generate the level of antibodies sufficient to neutralize both the original Omikron variant (BA.1) and the subsequent sub-variants (the aforementioned BA.4 and BA.5), which are responsible for the majority of current COVID-19 cases.
The vaccine is highly effective against the coronavirus. Neutralizing antibody titers against BA.4 / BA.5 increased 5,4-fold from baseline in patients who had experienced vaccination or a previous infection.
The company Moderna submitted a two-variant vaccine for approval also to regulators in the European Union, Australia and Canada. EMA, the European Medicines Agency, will probably put it into use in September. The decision of this agency will be binding on the Community countries, which means that the Polish Ministry of Health will be able to officially launch vaccinations using the new vaccine.
However, the preparation targeted at Omikron can only be attached to – Moderny vaccine will be used as a booster dose (third or fourth dose). It is expected to be approved by the EU by September. It will certainly be available to adults (18+), possibly also for younger age groups, as suggested by Deputy Minister of Health Waldemar Kraska.
– We know from unofficial information that this new vaccine can be dedicated to people from 18 years of age, maybe even younger, there are still discussions at the European Medicines Agency – said RMF FM.
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Pfizer and Novavax are also working on a new vaccine
The US-German company Pfizer / BioNTech is also working on targeted vaccines, the manufacturer of the Comirnata vaccine and the American Novavaxwho developed the Nuvaxovid protein (protein) vaccine.
Pfizer makes two types of vaccines. The first is directed against Omikron in the first variant (BA.1), the second, two-component, more universal, is to provide protection against both Omicron and the primary coronavirus, and possibly also against other variants.
Preliminary studies show that the preparation is effective against BA.1. The level of neutralizing antibodies in the first case increased from 13 to 19 times, in the second – nine to 11 times. As stated in the release, “preliminary laboratory studies show that both potential Omicron-adapted vaccines also neutralize the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, although to a lesser extent than BA.1”.
As for the Novavax upgraded vaccine, no data are available yet on its effectiveness against the new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Novavax announced that it expects to deliver a new vaccine in late 2022.