Clinical Trials Begin For Pfizer And BioNTech’s Omicron-Specific Covid Shot

Published 2 years ago
Coronavirus Vaccination In Gaza, Palestine

TOPLINE

Pfizer and BioNTech have begun a clinical trial for their omicron-specific coronavirus vaccine, the companies announced Tuesday, as vaccine makers scramble to reformulate shots to target the infectious variant. 

KEY FACTS

The study will evaluate the vaccine for safety, tolerability and strength of immune response in up to 1,420 healthy adults ages 18 to 55, the companies said in a statement.

The companies will test the vaccine in unvaccinated people as part of a three-shot course, as a booster shot in those who have received two Pfizer-BioNTech doses already and as a fourth dose for people who have already had three Pfizer-BioNTech shots.

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The trial will compare between a fourth dose of the omicron-specific vaccine and a fourth dose of the original vaccine. 

The companies said they do not expect manufacturing capacity—an estimated four billion doses in 2022—to change if they pivot to an omicron-specific shot. 

KEY BACKGROUND

Omicron is able to evade the immune defenses of vaccinated or previously infected people, and experts believe this allowed it to rapidly overtake other variants and spread across the globe. ​​Two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine or a previous infection offers little protection against symptomatic infection—almost none, in some cases—from omicron compared to delta, studies indicate and early studies of boosters suggest protection against infection fades over time. While protection against symptomatic infection does decline, studies find vaccinated people are strongly protected against serious illness, hospitalization and death compared to unvaccinated people.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Beyond Pfizer and BioNTech, many major vaccine makers—including Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Novavax—are also developing shots specifically targeting omicron. Pfizer and Moderna, which are built using technology that can be altered and manufactured faster than many traditional vaccines, have said their omicron shots could be ready by March. 

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FURTHER READING

What You Need To Know About How Well Vaccines Protect You Against Omicron (Forbes)

By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff