Moderna’s jab was given the go-ahead by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after it was found to meet the UK regulator’s safety, quality and effectiveness standards. The booster dose, known as “Spikevax bivalent Original/Omicron”, contains 25 micrograms of Omicron vaccine and 25 micrograms of original coronavirus vaccine. A vaccine that works for two infections is known as bivalent. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization will advise on how to handle the development of the jab. The vaccine has also been submitted for approval to authorities in Australia, Canada and the EU. The EU is expected to approve the tranche by September. Dr June Raine, chief executive of the MHRA, said: “I am delighted to announce the approval of Moderna’s bivalent booster vaccine, which was found in the clinical trial to provide a strong immune response against the Omicron BA.1 variant as well as the original strain of 2020. “The first generation of COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK continues to provide significant protection against the disease and save lives. What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our arsenal to help us protect against this disease as the virus continues to evolve.” Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, described the vaccine as a “next-generation vaccine for COVID-19” which will play an “important role in protecting people in the UK from COVID-19” during the winter. Mr Bancel said: “We are delighted with the MHRA approval of Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron, our next-generation vaccine for COVID-19. “This represents the first approval of a bivalent vaccine containing Omicron, further highlighting the commitment and leadership of UK public health authorities in helping to end the COVID-19 pandemic. “This bivalent vaccine has an important role to play in protecting people in the UK from COVID-19 as we head into the winter months.” Mr Bancel said the vaccine has “consistently demonstrated a superior range of immune response” to alternatives in clinical trials. Subscribe to the Daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker The government’s independent scientific advisory body, the Commission on Medicines for Human Use, also approved the transfer. Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of the Committee for Human Medicines said: “The Committee for Human Medicines and the Expert Working Group on Vaccines for COVID-19 has independently reviewed the safety, quality and efficacy data and agrees by decision of the MHRA. “The virus, SARS-CoV-2, is constantly evolving to evade the immunity provided by vaccines. This new bivalent vaccine represents the next step in the development of vaccines to combat the virus, with its ability to lead to a broader immune response from the original vaccine’. According to the latest figures, 126,504,756 doses of vaccine have been administered in the UK. This includes 45,188,570 first tranches, 42,520,292 second tranches and 33,436,351 third or reminder tranches, as of August 10.
