The Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine booster upgraded to Omicron BA.4-BA.5 stimulates a “substantially higher” immune response than the original vaccine. Compared to the first version of Comirnaty * – announce the American pharmaceutical giant and its German partner – the bivalent booster produced neutralizing antibody titers in adults over 55 about 4 times higher against the sub-variants Omicron 4 and 5.
One month after a booster dose of 30 micrograms of the bivalent vaccine – the two companies detail in a note – the anti-Omicron 4 and 5 neutralizing antibody titers increased 13.2 times compared to the pre-booster levels in the over 55s and 9.5 times in 18-55 year olds, compared to a 2.9 times increase in over 55 who received booster with the original vaccine. The safety and tolerability profile of the bivalent booster remains favorable and similar to the vaccine against the Wuhan strain.
Pfizer and BioNTech have shared this data with the US drug agency Fda and will do the same with the European Ema and other regulatory bodies as soon as possible, explain the two companies that are continuing to monitor the immunogenicity of the bivalent booster BA.4 /BA.5 also with respect to the new emerging sub-variants of Omicron.
“These results – reads the joint note from Pfizer and BioNTech – reinforce the first clinical data previously released, collected 7 days after the administration of the booster with bivalent vaccine, as well as preclinical data, and suggest that a booster dose of 30 µg of vaccine bivalent adapted to Omicron BA.4 / BA.5 may induce a higher level of protection against the sub-variants it is targeted towards, compared to the original vaccine “.
“As we approach the holiday season, we hope these updated results will encourage people to undergo a bivalent vaccine booster as soon as they are eligible to receive it, to maintain high levels of protection against widely circulating Omicron 4 and 5,” comments Albert Bourla. president and CEO.
“These data – adds Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech – show that our bivalent vaccine adapted to Omicron BA.4 / BA.5 works” in the concrete as planned “, in offering greater protection against Omicron subvariants 4 and 5 “.
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