Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co (SHA: 600196) has announced obtaining emergency use authorization (EUA) in Hong Kong for its bivalent COVID-19 original strain/Omicron variant BA.4-5 vaccine Comirnaty (BNT162b2) as a booster shot for populations aged 12 and above. This marks a significant step in the company’s efforts to provide enhanced protection against COVID-19 variants.
Partnership and Approval
Fosun Pharma is partnered with Germany’s BioNTech (NASDAQ: BNTX) on the development of Comirnaty in the Greater China region. The vaccine was previously approved for immunization in Hong Kong and Macau in March 2021, followed by Taiwan in September 2021. The bivalent vaccine contains micrograms of mRNA encoding spike protein of the original strain and 15 micrograms of mRNA encoding spike protein of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 variants, offering broad-spectrum protection against both the original and mutated strains of the virus.
Future Implications
The EUA for Comirnaty as a booster shot underscores the ongoing collaboration between Fosun Pharma and BioNTech to address the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. This approval positions the bivalent vaccine as a crucial tool in enhancing immune responses and reducing the risk of infection from emerging variants, particularly in vulnerable populations.-Fineline Info & Tech
