August 19, 2022

The California Biotechnology Foundation is committed to keeping you up to date about COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention advancements. The following resources track what progress has been made as of August 19, 2022. Notable advancements include:

• A recent study shows that adverse effects to a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine  are rare in children aged 5-11 years.
• Novavax has filed for FDA authorization to use its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose.
• Moderna developed a next generation COVID-19 booster which may only need to be administered once a year.

Recent News

• What will the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines look like?
  The Hill – August 18, 2022
  As COVID-19 continues to evolve into newer and more contagious variants — capable of evading immunity from infection or vaccination — public health experts are trying to develop the next generation of vaccines that can outsmart the novel virus. Researchers are working on a universal COVID-19 vaccine that would ideally protect against all current and future strains of SARS-CoV-2. Such a vaccine could significantly slow the transmission of the virus. A vaccine in the form of a nasal spray could be another weapon in the arsenal against COVID-19 as early research has shown interesting results in animal studies.
• Serious adverse events rare after COVID-19 boosters in young kids
  University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy – August 18, 2022
  Data collected from two vaccine safety surveillance programs in the first 10 weeks of administration of third doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 to US children aged 5 to 11 years show that serious adverse events were rare. In a related study published yesterday, researchers compared the rates of COVID-19 infection and critical infection by age, region, vaccination status, and number of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses in all adolescents aged 12 to 18 years.
• Updated COVID-19 boosters could be available in 3 weeks, White House predicts
  ABC News – August 16, 2022
  Newly updated COVID-19 boosters tailored to target a dominant strain of the virus will be available soon, assuming the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention work through their processes for authorization as expected, White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha’s predicted. In late June, the FDA directed Moderna and Pfizer to make vaccines for the upcoming winter that targeted the more contagious BA.5 omicron subvariant, along with the original COVID-19 strain. That work has been underway and the next step is for the FDA and CDC to review data from the companies, once they’ve received it.
• Q&A: CDC’s new COVID-19 guidance ‘reflects how far we’ve come’
  Healio – August 16, 2022
  The CDC’s updated COVID-19 guidelines relax previous strategies and no longer require unvaccinated individuals to quarantine after an exposure. The new guidance comes as the CDC says there is a much lower risk for severe illness and death, unlike earlier in the pandemic. It is unlikely that the new recommendations will affect infection prevention measures in health care settings, an expert told Healio.
• Novavax seeks U.S. authorization for COVID-19 vaccine booster
  Reuters – August 15, 2022
  Novavax has filed for U.S. authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose in people who had either received its shots or a different vaccine. The application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration comes in the face of a slow rollout in the United States, where the Novavax vaccine was authorized in July, despite expectations that it would convince vaccine skeptics to get inoculated. Over 9,700 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the United States so far, out of a total 606 million doses given overall. More than 67% of the U.S. population has received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest federal data.
• ‘Next Generation’ Moderna COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Approved for Use in Adults
  Bloomberg – August 15, 2022
  A “next generation” COVID-19 booster vaccine which may only need administering once a year has been approved for use in adults. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorized Moderna’s bivalent vaccine, which targets the original COVID-19 strain and the Omicron variant. Known as mRNA-1273.214, the dose is an updated version of the Moderna vaccine which is already in use for first, second and booster doses, and it will be the first dose approved in the UK which targets two strains of the virus.
• COVID-19 vaccines are proven safe for use in pregnancy
  News Medical Life Sciences – August 15, 2022
  In the present study conducted under the Canadian National Vaccine Safety network, researchers monitored COVID-19 vaccine safety in pregnant females across seven Canadian provinces accounting for more than 75% of the national population. Overall, both COVID-19 mRNA vaccines evaluated in the study proved safe for pregnant females. They had markedly lower rates of adverse health events following vaccination than non-pregnant vaccine recipients of both mRNA vaccines used in Canada; after both one and two doses. However, the overall rates of adverse health events following vaccination were highest after dose two of the mRNA-1273 vaccine recipients. Since COVID-19 causes significant complications in pregnancy, it is crucial to provide higher vaccine coverage to pregnant females.

Rely on California Biotechnology Foundation to monitor breaking news and provide updates on the latest advancements in COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments.

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If you have any questions about informational briefings contact California Biotechnology Foundation Executive Director Patty Cooper at (916)764-2434 or [email protected].