Pfizer Developing COVID-19 Booster Shot Against Delta Variant; Delta Variant Expected to Cause Surge in Cases in Fall

Pfizer and BioNTech made a declaration on Thursday that they are creating a COVID-19 booster shot purported against the Delta variant. This comes as concerns regarding the highly transmissible strain that is already the dominant form of the illness in the US continue to spike up. According to the companies, while they think a third dose of their current two-shot vaccine has the potential to preserve the greatest levels of protection against all currently known variants, they remain to be vagilant and are eager to develop a fortified novel coronavirus vaccine.

The Delta variant first emerged in India while the Beta variant was initially detected in South Africa.

Third Dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine

The companies stated they have demonstrated how a third shot of their vaccine, which is administered six months following the second, increases neutralizing antibodies five to tenfold, targeting the original virus and the so-called Beta variant.

Both companies confirmed they have witnessed promising data in the ongoing booster trial of the vaccine. According to their statement, the updated version of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine targets the full spike protein of the Delta variant. The drug developers expect that a third dose will bolster antibody titers higher, similar to how the third shot performs in combatting the B.1.351 or Beta variant. Pfizer Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten remarked on Thursday that the vaccine is largely and actively targetting the Delta variant, reported Q107.

Various concerns surface more as the Delta strain causes increasing infections. Pfizer Inc. will seek clearance from United States regulators in coming weeks to dissemminate a booster shot of its COVID-19 vaccine to bolster protection against infections as new strains of the virus emerge, reported The Wall Street Journal.

According to the companies in a statement, they are consistent with an underway analysis from the Phase 3 study of the companies. "That is why we have said, and we continue to believe that it is likely, based on the totality of the data we have to date, that a third dose may be needed within 6 to 12 months after full vaccination," reported Xinhuanet.

Pfizer considers asking for the emergency authorization of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its third vaccine dose. Previous data from its booster study proposes that after a third dose, antibody levels jump five- to ten-fold, in contrast to the second shot administered months early, remarked Pfizer's Dr. Mikael Dolsten.

Clinical studies could commence as early as August. These will be imposed under regulatory approvals. According to Pfizer and BioNTech executives, people will possibly need a booster shot, or third shot, within 1 year of being administered full vaccination because they expect vaccine-induced immunity to falter over time.

The declaration comes the same day Olympics organizers state they are prohibiting all spectators from the games this 2021 following Japan's announcement of a state of emergency that is meant to curb a wave of new coronavirus infections due, in part, to the delta variant.