The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency (CHMP) has recommended authorizing the use of another vaccine against Covid-19 as a booster dose for the population between 18 and 50 years of age. A preparation that was authorized by the EMA in June 2022 but in Spain, for example, not a single dose has been inoculated since then, largely due to the breakdown of the commitment between the manufacturer and the EU due to delays in the dose delivery.
As reported by the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (Aemps), the “CHMP has recommended authorizing the use of the Valneva vaccine for Covid-19 (inactivated, with adjuvant) as a booster dose for adults aged 18 to 50 years. old”. Valneva’s serum is manufactured by the French multinational of the same name, and is the sixth authorized vaccine in Europe after Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen and Novavax.
Despite the recommendation, it does not seem easy for this new preparation to be used on a massive scale, especially due to the breakdown of the agreement in May between Valneva and the EU. The EU and Valneva signed an agreement in November 2021 for the supply of up to 60 million doses of the vaccine, of which some 27 million were for last year, but delays in the approval process and the drop in demand caused by the excess supply and the slowdown in vaccinations led the EU States to request modifications to the original contract.
The revised agreement meant that Valneva had to supply 1.25 million doses to EU countries between August and September of last year and the possibility of another 1.25 million before the end of 2022 according to the Commission.
two injections
Thus, now it will be necessary to check if the Valneva solution begins to be dispensed as a booster dose against Covid-19 in the population between 18 and 50 years of age. The results of the study of this compound, in which almost 3,000 people aged 30 years and older participated, showed that the Covid-19 vaccine (inactivated, boosted) Valneva produced the production of higher levels of antibodies against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 than the comparator vaccine, Vaxzevria.
Also, the proportion of people who produced a high level of antibodies was similar with both vaccines. Additional data from this study also showed that the vaccine is just as effective at stimulating antibody production in people aged 18-29 years as it is in people aged 30 years and older. Valneva vaccine is not currently authorized for use in persons under 18 years of age.
Valneva vaccine is given as two injections, usually into the muscle of the arm, 4 weeks apart.
