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Pfizer begins mid-stage trial for new vaccine targeting Omicron subvariant

Click to play video: 'Canada working closely with Moderna, Pfizer on COVID-19 vaccines targeting Omicron subvariants: Duclos'
Canada working closely with Moderna, Pfizer on COVID-19 vaccines targeting Omicron subvariants: Duclos
While Health Canada has not yet received data about new formulations of the COVID-19 vaccine specifically targeting the Omicron subvariants, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the government is working closely with Pfizer and Moderna to ensure Canada is ready to distribute the new vaccines. He said contracts already in place mean Canada will have access to the most up-to-date vaccines – Jun 30, 2022

Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE said on Wednesday they had started a mid-stage study of a modified COVID-19 vaccine which targets both the original as well as the BA.2 Omicron subvariant.

Pfizer said the vaccine is in an initial proof-of-concept study to gather more data.

Together, the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants are estimated to make up nearly 95% of the circulating coronavirus variants in the United States for the week ended July 23.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month asked vaccine manufacturers to target BA.4 and BA.5, the two currently dominant Omicron subvariants, for a potential fall season booster dose.

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