The UK is the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine targeting both the original and omicron variants of the virus. The British medicines agency MHRA has approved the bivalent vaccine from the US pharmaceutical company Moderna. The agency’s decision was based on clinical trial data showing that the booster elicited “a strong immune response” against both Omicron (BA.1) and the original 2020 virus.”
No side effects
The MHRA also cited an exploratory analysis that found the injection elicited a good immune response against the currently dominant branches of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5. No serious safety concerns were identified with this new formulation, the drug agency noted. Once approval is secured, the UK Joint Vaccination and Immunization Committee (JCVI) will provide guidance on how the vaccine will be distributed across the country.
To whom it is administered
Local health authorities had previously indicated that the booster shot will be offered to those over 50 and those in the highest risk categories from September next year.
“The first generation of COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK continues to provide important protection against the disease and save lives,” said June Raine, Chief Executive of MHRA. “What this bivalent vaccine offers us is a nifty tool in our arsenal to protect us from this disease as the virus continues to evolve.”
The other updated vaccines are on the way
In addition to Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech have also been testing versions of their modified mRNA vaccine to target Omicron variants. Meanwhile, Sanofi and partner GSK are working on a protein-based vaccine targeting the beta subvariant, which dominated for some time last year.