Source – FDA
The FDA’s Advisory Committee on Vaccines and Related Biological Products will meet on 15 June to discuss strain selection for the forthcoming autumn booster campaign as part of that endeavor.
FDA employees stated in a briefing paper distributed before the conference that the following batch of vaccinations should focus on a specific variation within the XBB parent lineage. That would be a shift from the bivalent booster immunisations that were introduced last year, if US healthcare officials do actually go that path.
XBB and its sub variants, a development from the older omicron variant, are to blame for almost all COVID-19 cases in the US, according to the most recent information from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The FDA advisory committee meeting just one stage of the regulatory procedure for the COVID-19 vaccines of the future. According to Reuters, World Health Organisation advisors suggested last month that new COVID-19 boosters target XBB subvariants. Additionally, European regulators support the tactic.
When deciding on the autumn booster goal in the US, the FDA will consider the opinions of its experts. Additionally, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practises of the CDC will probably offer its opinion. According to a draft agenda (PDF), the panel would review the most recent information on COVID-19 vaccinations.
According to Reuters, vaccine developers are already developing new vaccinations that target the XBB.1.5 subvariant and other diseases. According to the CDC, the current mRNA boosters target the original viral strain as well as the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
