In order to “complete the arsenal to fight the virus”, the High Health Authority (HAS) issued this Thursday “a favorable opinion on the use as a reminder” in adults of two vaccines: VidPrevtyn Beta from Sanofi / GSK, new in the market, and Novavax’s Nuvaxovid, already used in primary vaccination.
While the vaccine recall campaign is stalled, these new vaccines should “meet the needs of mRNA vaccine averse individuals and those who have a contraindication,” the HAS writes.
At the moment, “these two vaccines are secondary, since the HAS maintains its recommendation to preferably use bivalent mRNA vaccines, regardless of the vaccines used previously.”
Sanofi’s new vaccine
The European marketing authorization for Sanofi’s vaccine dates from November 10. It is “made from the recombinant protein Spike (S) of SARS-CoV-2, and is administered intramuscularly according to a vaccination schedule of a single booster dose,” specifies the HAS. It can be given as a booster regardless of the vaccine that was used in the primary vaccination.
The HAS ensures that this product has shown “a good level of tolerance in adults” and has “demonstrated a good immune response against the BA4/5 variants”.
However, the health authority says it is “waiting for additional information” on this point to confirm “the first data that suggest an efficacy at least equivalent to that of the currently recommended vaccines against the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 variant. “. “.
“A booster dose of VidPrevtyn Beta should be at least as effective as (Pfizer’s) Comirnaty in restoring protection against Covid-19,” the European Medicines Agency said in a statement.
Extension of use for Novavax
The Novavax vaccine has been integrated since December 2021 into the French vaccination strategy for people over 18 years of age. “For the record, this vaccine is administered intramuscularly and can be used independently of the previously used vaccine,” HAS writes. It shows “favorable results in terms of immune response, as well as vaccine tolerance comparable to other vaccines.”
However, “pending additional data, (HAS) preferentially recommends the use of mRNA vaccines for the booster dose of pregnant women.”
“We are pleased to offer the first protein vaccine in the primary and booster series in the European Union,” said Stanley C. Erck, Novavax President and CEO.
The HAS has, on the other hand, issued an unfavorable opinion for the use of the VLA2001 vaccine of the Valneva laboratory in primary vaccination, because “it currently does not have clinical efficacy data, particularly against the variants currently in circulation”. He also explains that he does not have “direct comparison data between the VLA2001 vaccine and the currently preferred vaccines used in France.”
The “must be done now” reminder
On several occasions in its press release, the HAS also makes a strong call to the population to receive a booster dose, noting that “to date, only 23% of people aged 80 and over, and 38% of people between the ages of 60 and 79 are sufficiently protected”. ” . The reminder “will be carried out now so that it produces its full effect in the end-of-year celebrations.”
The vaccine “is the best weapon to protect people at risk of contracting the severe form of the disease and must be carried out without delay,” the press release can still read.
The organization also calls on the population to get vaccinated against the flu, whose vaccination rates are still lower than last year.
Source: BFM TV
