A vaccine against COVID-19 developed by Sanofi SA and GSK PLC to target the virus’s beta strain produced a stronger antibody response against omicron variants when given as a booster compared to certain injections. first generation, according to two studies.
The results are the latest indication that adjusting vaccines may boost antibody responses in the direction of new variants, possibly helping to strengthen immunity as the virus mutates. The results of the study may also provide an opportunity for Sanofi SAN,
CUT DOWN,
and GSK GSK,
GSK,
two vaccine giants who arrived late to develop immunizations against COVID-19, to play a role in providing booster injections.
In studies, the beta-targeted vaccine induced a stronger antibody response to certain omicron variants than first-generation vaccines, according to Sanofi. One study compared the beta-targeted vaccine with the original vaccine produced by Pfizer Inc. PFE,
and BioNTech SE BNTX,
Neither study has yet been peer-reviewed.
In a study comparing a boost of the Sanofi-GSK Beta-targeted vaccine with the original company vaccine, the adjusted vaccine induced twice as many neutralizing antibodies against omicron BA.1 and BA.2 as the previous version. , Sanofi said Monday. The study, conducted by the companies, involved about 1,500 people who had received the MRNA from Pfizer or Moderna Inc.
vaccines as the main course of vaccination.
A smaller, separate study by French researchers compared the beta-vaccine Sanofi-GSK vaccine with the older Sanofi-GSK vaccine or the Pfizer vaccine as a booster in people who had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. He found that a beta variant boost produced higher levels of neutralizing antibodies against the omicron BA.1 variant than either. This study, which involved 247 people, was funded by the French government and Sanofi.
An extended version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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