Omicron Specific COVID-19 Vaccine Launches Clinical Study

New York-based Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE today announced the initiation of a clinical study to evaluate an Omicron-based vaccine candidate. The new study is part of their ongoing efforts to address Omicron and determine the potential need for variant-based vaccines.

The study will include about 1,400 healthy adults 18 through 55 years of age and have three cohorts examining different regimens of the current Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or an Omicron-based vaccine.

Participants enrolled in this clinical trial will receive the Omicron-based vaccine candidate as a two-dose primary series and as a booster dose.

".... we recognize the need to be prepared in the event this protection wanes over time and to potentially help address Omicron and new variants in the future," commented Kathrin U. Jansen, Ph.D., SVP and Head of Vaccine Research & Development at Pfizer, in a press statement issued on January 25, 2022. 

"Staying vigilant against the virus requires us to identify new approaches for people to maintain a high level of protection."

"We believe developing and investigating variant-based vaccines, like this one, are essential in our efforts towards this goal."

The companies have previously announced that they expect to produce four billion doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in 2022. This capacity is not expected to change if an adapted vaccine is required.

Globally, this vaccine is known as Comirnaty.

The Pfizer-BioNTech / Comirnaty Vaccine is based on BioNTech's proprietary mRNA technology, which BioNTech and Pfizer developed.

BioNTech is the Comrinaty vaccine Marketing Authorization Holder in the U.S., E.U, U.K, Canada, and other countries, and the holder of emergency use authorizations or equivalents in the U.S. (jointly with Pfizer) and other countries.