"Omicron-Specific Vaccine, Hard to Become a 'Game Changer' [Reading Science]"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Research results are emerging that Omicron variant-specific vaccines being developed by global vaccine manufacturers show no clear advantage over the existing third dose (booster shot) of vaccines.

On the 14th (local time), the international academic journal Nature reported that early animal experiment results conducted by global vaccine companies developing customized vaccines against the COVID-19 Omicron variant showed no advantage compared to the third dose (booster shot) of existing vaccines. Although these results have not yet undergone peer review and are mostly based on experiments on animals or primates, Nature analyzed that this suggests even if customized vaccines are developed, they may be insufficient to change the dynamics of the fight against the Omicron variant. David Montefiori, Director of AIDS Vaccine Research and Development at Duke University, said, "The results derived from preclinical studies conducted on animal models show that (customized vaccines) do not achieve better effects than receiving a booster shot with existing vaccines."

In experiments conducted on rhesus macaques, monkeys that received booster shots with existing vaccines produced broad antibody responses capable of responding to all variants, including the Omicron variant. In particular, the booster shot activated B cells that remember the virus invading the human body and produce antibodies. The research team also conducted experiments comparing monkeys given booster shots with either the existing vaccine or the Omicron variant-specific vaccine. The results showed that both vaccines completely blocked viral replication within two days. Robert Seder, an immunologist at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, explained, "This is a very good result, meaning that we currently have booster shots capable of dealing with all virus variants so far," adding, "Both the existing and customized vaccines activated cellular responses, and the Omicron-specific vaccine did not show a significant advantage over the existing vaccine."

Additionally, research results from experiments administering booster shots of existing and customized vaccines to mice also showed no significant differences. In this study, it was also confirmed that when the customized vaccine was injected into mice that had never been vaccinated, it only provided resistance to the Omicron variant and was ineffective against other variants.