In a statement made Wednesday by BioNTech and Pfizer, it was reported that three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine jointly developed by the two companies inactivated the new Corona virus variant Omicron in laboratory tests. The two companies noted that if necessary, a special version of the vaccine suitable for the Omicron variant could be made available in March 2022.
BioNTech and Pfizer reported in the first official statement regarding the vaccine’s effectiveness against Omicron that two doses resulted in the production of lesser amounts of antibodies, but that the third dose increased the amount of virus-inactivated antibodies by 25 times.
As part of the study, blood samples were taken from individuals who had received the third booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine one month ago. Accordingly, three doses of the vaccine enabled the development of immunity against the Omicron variant, as well as two doses of the vaccine against the original strain of Corona virus that appeared for the first time in China.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement that “vaccinating as many people as possible with the first two doses of the vaccine and then administering a booster dose remains the best preventative measure against the spread of Covid-19.”
The findings confirm a preliminary study published Tuesday by experts at the African Health Research Institute in South Africa.
In a statement made by the institute on Tuesday, it was stated that two doses of Omicron’s Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine could partially neutralize the protection provided, and that the third booster dose of the vaccine could help prevent infection.
A laboratory analysis at a university hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, concluded that a low antibody response to Omicron occurred even after three doses of the vaccine.
Pfizer and BioNTech gave the positive message that the vaccine provides protection against the severe disease course caused by Omicron. The laboratory data, however, did not offer new findings in this regard.
The two companies reported that the surface structure of the spike protein of the Omicron variant targeted by T cells was not affected by the mutations of Omicron. T cells usually appear after vaccination.
Pfizer and BioNTech noted that they “believe that vaccinated people can be protected against severe disease.”
T cells, which prevent severe disease by interfering with infected cells, form the second pillar of the immune response next to antibodies.