Abidjan, The pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech have announced the start of recruiting volunteers for a clinical trial of a new version of their messenger RNA vaccine, adapted to better protect against the Omicron variant and its ability to evade the immune response.

The trial is to include 1,420 people, aged 18 to 55, reports France Info, Tuesday January 25, 2022.

The volunteers are divided into three groups, namely people who received two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine between 90 and 180 days ago, and will receive one or two injections of its adapted version; people who have received a booster dose, and who will receive a new dose either of the first vaccine or of its new version; and finally unvaccinated people, who will receive three doses of the vaccine adapted to the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The two companies ensure that this approach is not contradictory with the assertion that the current version of their vaccine remains effective against Omicron after three doses. “We recognize the importance of being prepared in the event that this protection wanes over time, and to help address Omicron and other variants in the future,” says Pfizer Head of Vaccines Kathrin Jansen .

Source: Agence Ivoirienne de Presse