Moderna’s Covid Bivalent Booster Approved In UK; Will The US Be Next?
Great Britain is the first nation to authorize use of a dual vaccine, reformulated for both the original virus and the omicron variant. The version approved in the U.K., which targets the subvariant BA.1, differs from the one expected to be used in the U.S. this fall, which targets BA.4 and BA.5.
CNBC:
UK Becomes First Country To Approve Moderna's Dual Covid-19 Vaccine
Britain on Monday became the first country in the world to approve a dual Covid-19 vaccine, which tackles both the original virus and the newer omicron variant. The updated Moderna vaccine — known as a bivalent because it targets two variants — is expected to be available to adults as a booster jab from the fall after receiving the go-ahead from the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on Monday. (Gilchrist, 8/15)
The Hill:
UK Becomes First Country To Approve Updated Moderna Vaccine Targeting Omicron
The United States is also working on updated vaccines for a possible fall booster campaign, though the shots might be slightly different. The vaccine approved by the U.K. targets the first version of the omicron variant, known as BA.1, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has instructed vaccine makers to target the more recent subvariants of omicron, known as BA.4 and BA.5. (Sullivan, 8/15)
The New York Times:
U.K. Approves Covid Booster Vaccine That Targets Two Variants
In the United States, Moderna said in late July that the government had secured 66 million doses of a vaccine it was developing that targets the virus that circulated in 2020 and the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. The Biden administration expects to begin a Covid-19 booster campaign next month with updated vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna targeting new variants, according to people familiar with the deliberations. (Gross, 8/15)
In other covid vaccine developments —
Reuters:
Novavax Seeks U.S. Authorization For COVID Vaccine Booster
Novavax Inc said on Monday it had filed for U.S. authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose in people who had either received its shots or a different vaccine. ... [Novavax] is a protein-based vaccine that uses purified pieces of the virus to spur an immune response, a technology that has been used to combat diseases including hepatitis B and influenza. (8/15)
The Boston Globe:
100-Year-Old Tuberculosis Vaccine May Protect Against COVID
A small study from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital suggests that a widely used, 100-year-old vaccine for tuberculosis also may offer protection from COVID-19. The findings, published in Cell Reports Medicine on Monday and conducted in volunteers with type 1 diabetes, found that the BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccine was 92 percent effective versus a placebo in protecting against infections. (Bartlett, 8/15)
And in news from Pfizer —
USA Today:
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla Tests Positive For COVID-19, Takes Paxlovid
Pfizer's CEO tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing "very mild symptoms," he announced Monday. "I would like to inform the public that I have tested positive for COVID-19," the biopharmaceutical company's chairman and CEO, Albert Bourla, said in a statement. (Naysa Alund, 9/15)
