Early studies indicate that the new Covid-19 vaccines may help protect against the highly-mutated variant BA.2.86, a variant scientists feared would be dangerous.
Moderna, Pfizer, and BioNTech announced on Wednesday that a laboratory test revealed their latest vaccine, designed to combat the prevalent XBB.1.5 strain, also elicited antibodies against the more recent strain BA.2.86.
Scientists at Harvard University and Sweden’s Karolinska institute conducted early research that indicated that people infected with XBB.1.5 could also produce antibodies against BA.2.86.
There is less data available on whether those who have received boosters against other strains or infections caused by variants of other strains are protected as well.
Stephen Hoge said that Moderna’s Covid-19 updated vaccine created a “strong immune response in humans” against this variant. This increased the antibodies already present to combat the virus by 8.7 times. He also said that the vaccine provides a similar reaction against other emerging variations, EG.5 or FL1.5.1.
He said that “these data confirm our updated Covid-19 vaccination will continue to be a valuable tool of protection as we move into the fall vaccine season.”
In New York afternoon trading, shares of Moderna fell by 1.9 percent. Pfizer dropped 3 percent and BioNTech lost 1.9 percent.
After the Food and Drug Administration has given its approval, the US plans to begin rolling out updated boosters that target XBB.1.5 within the next few weeks. The EU and UK regulators approved the new boosters. The UK recommends them to the over 75s and most vulnerable.
Because of concerns about , the potential danger of BA.2.86, England has accelerated its Covid-19 vaccine campaign. It will now begin on September 11 instead of the original October start date. Last week, the UK Health Security Agency said that it only had “limited” information on this new variant.
The Barouch Laboratory, Harvard, found that BA.2.86 elicited fewer antibody responses than variant BA.2, prevalent last year. However, an XBB.1.5-infection increased the antibody response. This suggests that the tweaked vaccinations may provide more protection.
The Swedish team also found that the antibodies in blood collected late last year, before the XBB strain was circulating, were less able than usual to neutralise the BA.2.86. The blood collected last week contained far more antibodies to the strain. Researchers did not differentiate between those with a Covid-19 infection that was caused by XBB.1.5, and those without.