EU Regulator Weighing Mix-And-Match, Boosters For COVID-19 Shots

  • European Medical Agency (EMA) made no definitive recommendations on mixing schedules of COVID-19 vaccines with doses from different manufacturers, saying it was too early to confirm if and when an additional booster shot would be required.
  • However, EMA did say both doses of two-shot vaccines from Pfizer Inc PFEBioNTech SE BNTXAstraZeneca plc AZN, and Moderna Inc MRNA would play an essential role in protecting against the Delta variant.
  • To tackle increasing infections and vaccine shortages, the U.K and the U.S. have initiated trials to assess mix-match of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.
  • An Oxford study last month found that a mixed schedule of vaccines where a shot of Pfizer's vaccine is given four weeks after an AstraZeneca shot will produce better immune responses than providing another dose of AstraZeneca.
  • In June, US NIH started an early-stage trial to evaluate what happens when a fully vaccinated adult with one type of COVID-19 vaccine is boosted with a different shot about three to four months later.
  • The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has estimated that the Delta variant will account for 90% of strains in circulation in the European Union by the end of August.
  • EMA has also been actively monitoring rare but severe side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. On Wednesday, it disclosed it had assessed nine cases of immune thrombocytopenia (IT) following vaccination with Moderna's shot.
  • It said no "clear causal relationship" could be established between the two, and EMA would continue to monitor cases.
  • Price Action: PFE shares are up 0.7% at $39.94, MRNA stock is +5% at $246.92, BNTX shares are up 2.1% at $212.18, while AZN stock is down 1.2% at $59.90 during the market session on the last check Wednesday.
  • Photo by Frauke Riether from Pixabay
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Posted In: BiotechGovernmentNewsHealth CareFDAGeneralBriefsCOVID-19 Vaccine
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