Biontech is working on the development of an adapted vaccine

In addition to ongoing laboratory tests to examine the new Omicron coronavirus variant, the Mainz-based vaccine manufacturer Biontech is also working on the development of an adapted vaccine - preventively in the event that it might become necessary. "In order not to lose time, we are tackling these two tasks in parallel until the data are available and we have more information on whether the vaccine should be adjusted or not," said a Biontech spokeswoman. According to the tasks, the two operations partially overlap. The blueprint of the spike protein for the laboratory tests with the pseudovirus with which the experiments are carried out was cited as an example. In the laboratory tests, the blood fluid of vaccinated persons (serum; majority of sera) is confronted with the spike protein of the variant. "The sera contain the antibodies that we have after the vaccination," said the Biontech spokeswoman. It is then checked how well they neutralize the new spike protein, i.e. render it harmless. Biontech announced on Friday that the new variant differs significantly from the previously observed variants because it has additional mutations on the spike protein. The data from the laboratory tests that are now ongoing will soon provide information on whether an adaptation of the vaccine will be necessary if this variant spreads internationally. The company expected findings by the end of next week at the latest. Together with the US partner Pfizer, preparations were made months ago to adapt the vaccine within six weeks in the event of a so-called escape variant of the virus and to deliver the first batches within 100 days, Biontech said. Clinical studies with variant-specific vaccines have been started to collect data on safety and tolerability. In the event of an adjustment, these could be presented to the authorities as sample data. An escape variant is a virus variant which at least partially eludes the effect of the currently available vaccines. A vaccine based on the messenger molecule mRNA like the one from Biontech or Moderna can be produced more quickly than conventional vaccines, since only the blueprint has to be produced, not the antigen itself.