The UK’s drug regulator announced on Tuesday that it has granted approval for an updated COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. This updated vaccine specifically targets the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant.
The vaccine, which will be marketed under the brand Comirnaty, has received approval for use in individuals aged 6 months and older, as stated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
MHRA’s approval for this vaccine follows the recent clearance granted by the European regulator.
In addition to Pfizer-BioNTech, other vaccine manufacturers such as Moderna and Novavax have also developed what are referred to as monovalent versions of their vaccines, which are designed to target only the XBB.1.5 subvariant of the virus.
While the United States plans to deploy all three vaccines in the upcoming fall season, the UK intends to use mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for its autumn immunization campaign.
Earlier this year, the XBB.1.5 variant was the predominant variant globally. This prompted regulatory bodies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to select it as the primary target for coronavirus vaccines.
