Higher antibody response to Omicron with AstraZeneca booster dose

LAST UPDATE 16:18

AstraZeneca sent encouraging messages regarding the effectiveness of its vaccine against Covid-19.

AstraZeneca said in a statement released Thursday that new test data showed a higher response of antibodies to the coronavirus Omicron variant and others, including Beta, Delta, Alpha and Gama, when the company was vaccinated with the third vaccine. dose.

The increased response, also against the Delta variant, was seen in a blood test of people who had previously been vaccinated with either the Vaxzevria vaccine or the mRNA vaccine, the pharmaceutical company said, adding that it would submit this data to regulators worldwide.

Thursday’s statement, which did not include specific data, was the first by AstraZeneca about the protective potential of Vaxzevria as a booster vaccine after two vaccines based on either mRNA or Vaxzevria. Vaccines based on mRNA technology are manufactured by BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna.

The company said the findings “add to the growing body of evidence supporting Vaxzevria as a third dose, regardless of the initial vaccination programs tested.”

Data on the potency of Vaxzevria as a booster dose came from a comparative analysis in a test for a redesigned vaccine that uses the technology behind Vaxzevria but targets the Beta variant. AstraZeneca is trying to show that the special beta vaccine has potential against other variants and more test data are expected in the first half of the year.

Separately, the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca began work last month on a vaccine specifically targeting Omicron, although Astra – as well as other vaccine manufacturers on similar development projects – said it was not yet clear if such a vaccine was needed. upgrade.