Comirnaty and Spikevax booster jabs recommended by EMA

The European Medicines Agency’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has concluded that an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccines Comirnaty, from Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech (Nasdaq: BNTX), as well as Spikevax, marketed by Moderna (Nasdaq: MRNA), may be given to people with severely weakened immune systems, at least 28 days after their second dose.

The recommendation comes after studies showed that an extra dose of these vaccines increased the ability to produce antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19 in organ transplant patients with weakened immune systems.

Although there is no direct evidence that the ability to produce antibodies in these patients protected against COVID-19, it is expected that the extra dose would increase protection at least in some patients. EMA will continue monitoring any data that emerges on its effectiveness.