Pfizer Inc. said that, in children aged 5 through 11, the COVID-19 vaccine it co-developed with Biontech SE showed 90.7% efficacy against all variants of concern following two doses. The data were included in briefing documents filed ahead of a full discussion at the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products advisory committee meeting set for Oct. 26.

Shares of Ultimovacs ASA (OSE:ULTI) climbed 16.6% to NOK148.60 (US$17.82) on news the FDA will expedite an eventual review of its investigational cancer vaccine, UV-1, in combination with checkpoint inhibitors for the potential treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

Despite some concerns from a few members, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices unanimously approved recommendations to the CDC that boosters be made available to those wanting them. The advisory committee recommended that a single COVID-19 vaccine booster dose be given six months or more after completing an mRNA primary series in the same risk group for whom the CDC recommended a booster dose of Pfizer Inc-Biontech SA’s vaccine. The CDC presented data to the committee that the single mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose be given to those age 65 and older, for those at least 18 years old and reside in long-term-care settings, and also for those ages 50 to 60 with certain underlying medical conditions.

As largely expected, the FDA on Oct. 20 authorized the use of booster doses for COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, in line with last week’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) meetings. It also cleared the way for “mix-and-match” boosters, allowing eligible people to receive boosters from any of the FDA-approved vaccines, regardless of which vaccine they received originally.

Baidu Inc.’s preclinical studies showed the mRNA vaccine sequences for COVID-19 designed using its Lineardesign algorithm outperformed the benchmark sequences designed by traditional algorithms in terms of stability, protein expression and immunogenicity. The firm teamed up with Stemirna Therapeutics Co. Ltd., which specializes in the R&D of mRNA vaccines and drugs, to test seven mRNA COVID-19 vaccine sequences designed using Lineardesign.

A new engineered glycated vaccine induced production of neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other coronaviruses in mice, scientists at The University of Osaka and the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Science in Yokohama have reported.

LONDON – Valneva SA’s COVID-19 vaccine, VLA-2001, prompted a stronger immune response with fewer side effects than Astrazeneca plc’s product, according to headline data from the phase III trial. Shares in Valneva (NASDAQ:VALN) shot up by nearly 40% to close Oct. 18 at $39.21 when the data were announced, partly repairing the damage on Sept. 13 when the U.K. government cancelled a $1.65 billion contract with the French vaccines specialist for 100 million doses.

The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee unanimously agreed to recommend a booster dose of Janssen Biotech Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine for those age 18 years and older at least two months following the first dose. In the end, the vote swung on numbers from Janssen showing a booster significantly improved efficacy among study participants. Janssen’s data leaped to 94% protection after a booster dose, up from 70% efficacy following the first dose. That higher efficacy rate nearly matches that of the mRNA vaccines from Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc.-Biontech SE.

Given the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee’s unanimous vote last month to recommend use of a booster dose of the Pfizer Inc.-Biontech SE COVID-19 vaccine in certain high-risk groups, it came as no surprise when the committee again voted unanimously Oct. 14 for a mirror use of Moderna Inc.’s proposed booster.