New Version of Pfizer-Moderna Vaccines Licensed in US

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said both updated vaccines were licensed for a booster dose, from age 12 for Pfizer and 18 for Moderna.

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Since this new version targets the original COVID-19 strain and the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants, "stronger protection against the currently circulating Omicron variant should be provided," according to the FDA.

The U.S. Department of Health has purchased Pfizer's 105 million doses and Moderna's 66 million doses for fall and winter use.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not recommended them yet. The CDC has convened an independent expert committee for Thursday. 

After committee discussion, the agency's director, Rochelle Walensky, will be the one to give the go-ahead. There is a possibility that these vaccines will be available next week in the U.S. 

A license application for Pfizer and Moderna's updated version has also been submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). 

Given the rapid evolution of the virus, the efficacy of the existing vaccines in circulation, formulated against the initial COVID-19 strain, has proven to be gradually decreasing.