Pharmaceutical Companies Report Gearing Up To Combat COVID Variants This Fall

The more contagious omicron BA.4 and BA.5 COVID-19 variants are dominant in all parts of the United States, making up more than 70% of infections. 

The rising number of cases prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to recommend that vaccine manufacturers update booster shots to include BA.4 and BA.5, which have been found to escape antibodies from the blood of fully vaccinated and boosted adults compared with other omicron subvariants. 

Both Pfizer Inc. PFE and Moderna Inc. MRNA have developed vaccines that target the original coronavirus strain and BA.1 but are less effective at providing protection from BA.4 and BA.5.

But that’s changing, and pharmaceutical companies might be poised to capitalize on the demand for more shots.

The COVID-19 vaccine markets in seven major countries administering it — the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan — will increase from $13.6 billion in 2021 to $19.5 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% if annual vaccinations are required, according to data analytics and consulting company GlobalData Plc DATA.

It appears possible according to some experts that annual vaccines will be required for people to fully protect themselves from the virus. 

Newest Vaccines To Offer More Protection?

In June, Pfizer and BioNTech SE BNTX announced that preliminary laboratory studies demonstrate that their omicron-adapted vaccine candidates are effective against the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, though to a lesser extent than for BA.1. The companies are continuing to collect data. 

Moderna is advancing two omicron variant vaccine candidates for the fall — one that will combat the BA.1 variant and another to fight BA.4 and BA.5.

In February, Sunshine Biopharma Inc. SBFM expanded its anti-coronavirus drug development program by signing a collaboration agreement with the University of Arizona. The Quebec, Canada-based company announced on July 28 that it’s increasing its support to the university to accelerate the development of novel PLpro inhibitors currently underway. 

Gregory Thatcher, professor of pharmacology and toxicology and the R. Ken and Donna Coit Endowed Chair of Drug Discovery, is leading the research, which is reportedly progressing as planned. Thatcher is focused on determining the safety, pharmacokinetics and dose selection properties of three university-owned PLpro inhibitors, to be followed by efficacy testing for SARS-CoV-2 in animal models. 

With the transmissibility of the new omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 potentially exceeding that of measles — the most transmissible virus known — developing effective treatments and more specific vaccines at an accelerated pace is critical, Sunshine Biopharma CEO Steve Slilaty said. 

Sunshine Biopharma focuses on the research, development and commercialization of oncology and antiviral drugs. 

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Featured photo by Ivan Diaz on Unsplash