FURTHER APPROVALS European Medicines Agency (EMA) officials expect COVID variant-adapted vaccines to be approved in the European Union by September, and have signalled the regulator is open to using shots targeting the older BA.1 variant this autumn, given those specifically targeting newer subvariants are further behind in clinical development.
In contrast, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said it will seek the specific inclusion of the newer BA.4 and BA.5 offshoots of Omicron in any new shots used domestically.
Earlier on Monday, Serum Institute of India's (SII) Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla said on Monday that he expects an Omicron-specific vaccine against the coronavirus for India in six months.
Adar Poonawalla, the world's biggest vaccine maker, produces AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine under the brand name Covishield. "Think this vaccine is important as a booster," Adar Poonawalla was quoted as saying.