Pfizer, Moderna bivalent COVID booster nods could land this week, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it has authorized for emergency use bivalent booster shots that target the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants, setting the stage for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory group recommendation discussions tomorrow.
The Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants together are the prevalent variants of concern in the U.S., prompting the FDA to instruct manufacturers to develop a variant-adapted vaccine that also addresses the spike protein of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants. Pfizer and BioNTech’s bivalent vaccine contains 15-µg of mRNA encoding the wild-type spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is present in the Original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and 15-µg of mRNA encoding the spike protein of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 subvariants. Because the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants contain identical spike protein amino acid sequences, both can be targeted at once with a single mRNA strand. Apart from the addition of the mRNA sequence of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 spike protein, all other components of the vaccine remain unchanged.
“As we head into the fall and winter season, with the potential for greater SARS-CoV-2 spread in schools and at work, it is important to stay up to date with vaccines as a first line of defense against COVID-19 illness,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer. “We are thrilled by today’s news, another important milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide protection against this virus.”
“With today’s approval, a vaccine will shortly become available that addresses the currently prevalent Omicron sublineages with the aim of preserving protection against COVID-19,” said Prof. Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech. “In less than three months, we were able to develop and manufacture an Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted vaccine. This milestone further underlines the strength of rapidly adaptable mRNA vaccines against the this continuously evolving virus.”
The authorization of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is based on clinical data from Pfizer and BioNTech’s Omicron BA.1-adapted bivalent vaccine as well as pre-clinical and manufacturing data from their Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent vaccine. Clinical data from a Phase 2/3 trial showed a booster dose of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Omicron BA.1-adapted bivalent vaccine elicited a superior immune response against the Omicron BA.1 subvariant compared to the companies’ current COVID-19 vaccine, with a favorable safety profile. Additionally, pre-clinical data showed a booster dose of the BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent vaccine generated a strong neutralizing antibody response against the Omicron BA.1, BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, as well as the original virus.
The companies will supply the original and bivalent vaccines under their existing supply agreement with the U.S. government. Booster vaccinations for individuals 12 years of age and older are anticipated to start subject to and after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorse a potential recommendation by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Pfizer and BioNTech will begin shipping bivalent doses as directed by the U.S. government. Eligible U.S. residents will continue to receive the vaccine for free, consistent with the U.S. government’s commitment to free access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Pfizer and BioNTech have submitted data on their Omicron-adapted bivalent vaccines to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other regulatory authorities around the world.
As a result of this authorization, Pfizer and BioNTech will file a new supplemental Biologics Application (sBLA) for the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 bivalent booster vaccine and therefore withdraw the sBLA for a booster dose of the Original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Monovalent Vaccine for individuals 16 and older. The Original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine will remain available as a booster for those 5 through 11 years of age and as a primary series for those 6 months of age and older.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, which is based on BioNTech’s proprietary mRNA technology, was developed by both BioNTech and Pfizer. BioNTech is the Marketing Authorization Holder for BNT162b2 (COMIRNATY®) in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries, and the holder of emergency use authorizations or equivalents in the United States (jointly with Pfizer) and other countries. Submissions to pursue regulatory approvals in those countries where emergency use authorizations or equivalent were initially granted are planned.
What can you do to get a booster appointment? You have several options:
1. Book an appointment through your medical provider
2. Go to your county’s vaccination site
3. Book an appointment through CVS website
4. Book an appointment through your local pharmacies
