US biopharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) and its partner, German biotechnology company BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX), announced on Friday updated trial data showing a strong antibody response one month after a 30-µg booster dose of their Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.
Immune responses against BA.4/BA.5 sublineages were substantially higher for those who received the bivalent vaccine compared to the companies' original COVID-19 vaccine, with a similar safety and tolerability profile, the two companies reported.
Booster doses of the BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent vaccine have already been authorised for emergency use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission.
"These data demonstrate that our BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent vaccine works as conceptually planned in providing stronger protection against the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sublineages," commented Professor Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and co-founder of BioNTech. "In the next step and as part of our science-based approach we will continue to evaluate the cross-neutralisation of the adapted vaccine against new variants and sublineages. Our goal is to provide broader immunity against COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron and other circulating strains."
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