Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech announced on Tuesday the start of a clinical trial of a modified vaccine against covid-19 that could protect against the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The companies’ statement indicates that the initial results of the study, which will include 1,420 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 55, are expected to be available in the first half of this year.
“We continue to have an open dialogue with health authorities about an updated vaccine and ongoing data on the currently available vaccine, including what authorities require,” Pfizer said in a message.
So far it has not been clearly determined what information authorities such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would require to approve a specific vaccine against the omicron variant.
According to the companies’ report, the volunteers will be separated into three groups: people with full vaccination, people who have received full vaccination and booster, and people who are not vaccinated, which will determine whether they receive one, two, or three doses of the vaccine. modified.,
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last Friday the latest research results showing that a booster shot of existing vaccines gives protection against the most serious omicron disease, the variant that it causes virtually all new cases in the United States.
The US is the country in the world hardest hit by the pandemic with more than 70 million cases and more than 865,000 deaths.