Variant-adapted COVID vaccine wins first approval in Britain
August 15, 2022, 8:30 pm

Variant-adapted COVID vaccine wins first approval in Britain

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, the "skilled labor shortage and the working conditions in nursing care have come even more into focus." (Photo: Pixabay)

Britain has become the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original and omicron variant of the virus, Reuters reported, according to the Voice Of America.

The UK medicines regulator (MHRA) approved the so-called bivalent vaccine made by U.S. drug company Moderna as a booster for adults, it said.

The agency's decision was based on clinical trial data that showed the booster triggered "a strong immune response" against both omicron (BA.1) and the original 2020 virus.

The MHRA also cited an exploratory analysis in which the shot was found to generate a good immune response against the currently dominant omicron offshoots BA.4 and BA.5.

The agency added, no serious safety concerns were identified with this new formulation.

Now approval has been secured, Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) will advise on how the vaccine should be deployed in the country.

Britain has become the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original and omicron variant of the virus-Pixabay

While existing COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide good protection against hospitalization and death, vaccine effectiveness has taken a hit as the virus has evolved.

"The first generation of COVID-19 vaccines being used in the UK continue to provide important protection against the disease and save lives," MHRA Chief Executive June Raine said in a statement.

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"What this bivalent vaccine gives us is a sharpened tool in our armory to help protect us against this disease as the virus continues to evolve."

European Medicines Agency (EMA) officials expect COVID variant-adapted vaccines to be approved in the European Union by September, and have signaled the regulator is open to using shots targeting the older BA.1 variant this autumn, given those specifically targeting newer subvariants are further behind in clinical development.

In contrast, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said it will seek the specific inclusion of the newer BA.4 and BA.5 offshoots of omicron in any new shots used domestically.

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Apart from Moderna, partners Pfizer Inc and BioNTech have also been testing versions of their mRNA vaccine modified to combat omicron variants.

Meanwhile, Sanofi and partner GSK are working on a protein-based vaccine that targets the beta subvariant, which dominated for some time last year.

Source: voa

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”