Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel dominated the headlines worldwide this morning: he expressed the expectation that the current corona vaccines are less effective against omikron than against previous variants of the corona virus. Speculation, experts say: there is still too little hard data for such conclusions.
Yes, according to scientists, the RIVM and the World Health Organization, the multitude of mutations in the new virus variant are cause for concern. But the influence of omikron on the effectiveness of current vaccinations, or on the antibodies that recovered patients have made against Covid-19, is still under investigation.
Months of waiting
What if lab research indeed shows that the vaccines need to be adjusted? That could be done in the short term, according to experts and BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna, the two producers that supply the Netherlands with booster shots. But it will take at least three months for a modified drug to be produced worldwide. Quite apart from other factors that influence when it can be used on a large scale.
Because of the mRNA technique, “you can, so to speak, modify the genetic code of these vaccines with a click on the computer,” says immunologist Dimitri Diavatopoulos (RadboucUMC). In contrast to, for example, the products from AstraZeneca and Janssen, those from Pfizer and Moderna are produced completely synthetically.
Quality Controls
If you have developed a vaccine adapted to omikron, the production process takes about a week, says Ben van der Zeijst, emeritus professor of vaccines and former head of vaccines at RIVM.. “That can be done very quickly, but then you still have to do a lot of tests and quality checks before the vaccine can be used. It will take another four to five weeks. In addition, the factories have to switch to the new vaccine. That way you end up with about three months before the new vaccine is widely available.”
Manufacturer Pfizer indeed assumes more than three months. A spokesperson says the vaccine can be modified in 100 days and can roll off the factory line on a large scale. The Pfizer spokesperson emphasizes that the effect of omikron on the current vaccine is still being investigated internally. The company expects the first results next week.
Moderna chief Bancel said it will be months before a new vaccine can be made on a large scale. The NOS has asked the company for an explanation of Bancel’s statements, but Moderna said it could not respond within a day.
‘Important to prepare’
Given the composition of the omikron variant, it is obvious that the variant will influence the vaccine’s effectiveness, says RIVM virologist Chantal Reusken. However, she also believes it is too early to draw any conclusions. “It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen.” However, she believes it is important that pharmaceutical companies prepare for possible adjustments to the vaccines.
The arrival of the new variant makes combating the epidemic more complicated, says Aura Timen of RIVM:
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