‘Mix & match’ Covid boosters may gird immunity: EMA

The usage of so-called “combine and match” COVID-19 vaccine boosters could give a stronger immune response than sticking to at least one sort of jab, the EU’s drug watchdog stated on Thursday.

The European Medicines Company (EMA) stated it was finding out information to see if it should observe a call by US authorities on Wednesday to permit the usage of a distinct vaccine for follow-up pictures.

The Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines are authorised within the EU. Up to now solely Pfizer is cleared for boosters in adults.

“We’re seeing some promising outcomes from research that affirm that this method would set off, with sure vaccine mixtures, a stronger immune response than when the identical vaccine is used for an extra shot,” Marco Cavaleri, the EMA’s head of vaccine technique, informed a information convention.

A number of international locations have already permitted COVID booster pictures to extend immunity in individuals who have already been vaccinated however whose safety could have dipped after a number of months, though normally utilizing the identical sort of vaccine.

A research launched in the USA final week confirmed that individuals who have acquired the J&J vaccine—which like AstraZeneca makes use of viral vector expertise—could profit from a booster dose of a distinct, messenger-RNA vaccine equivalent to Pfizer or Moderna.

Messenger RNA vaccines “appear to be working fairly properly” as boosters and “are actually capable of mount fairly a sturdy immune response”, Cavaleri stated.

However Cavaleri added that “general evidently the technique is one thing that each one sorts of vaccines may very well be benefitting from,” he added.

The Amsterdam-based EMA can be as a consequence of resolve on October 25 whether or not to approve Moderna boosters, Cavaleri stated.

Pfizer stated earlier Thursday {that a} booster shot of its vaccine is 95.6 % efficient towards symptomatic an infection.

The EMA in the meantime stated it expects to resolve inside “roughly two months” whether or not to increase approval of the Pfizer jab to youngsters aged 5-11, after its makers submitted information final week.

The regulator additionally expects to start out a assessment subsequent week of an oral COVID drug produced by the US pharmaceutical agency Merck, Cavaleri stated.

© 2021 AFP