November 29, 2021 – Bloomberg reports that BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna are looking to develop a COVID-19 vaccination to protect against the newly identified omicron variant, a strain that the WHO have classified as a “variant of concern.” As omicron continues to raise concerns around the globe, a full understanding of the scope, reach and effects of this new variant could take weeks.
BioNTech and Pfizer could produce a tailor-made vaccine in about 100 days if needed, “subject to regulatory approval.”
BioNTech has said it started development on the new vaccine to move as quickly as possible, while scientists work to research and understand whether a new shot is necessary or not. This is a standard operating procedure to ensure that very little time is wasted. BioNTech said, “Lab results will deliver more information on whether or not adaption of the vaccine will be necessary.”
Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, told CNBC that it would “take months before a version that counters omicron could be shipped.” While it’s too early to be certain, a level of protection should remain for those who are already vaccinated. Bancel added, “I don’t believe many people would have predicted such a big jump in evolution in one variant. We need to get more data to confirm this, but it seems to be much more infectious [than the delta variant].”
Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines uses a different technology called a viral vector. J&J said it is “testing immune blood components from participants in trials of its booster to look for responses to omicron and is pursuing a vaccine that specifically targets the variant that it will take into human studies if needed.”