Pfizer Says New Covid Booster Works Better Than Old One in Study
- Company’s results contrast with data from Harvard and Columbia
- In people over 55, new shot made more antibodies than old shot
Pfizer Inc.’s bivalent vaccine bolstered protective antibodies against the dominant omicron strains substantially more than its original booster in people older than 55, according to a company study that suggests the new booster may provide an enhanced level of protection.
Pfizer and German vaccine partner BioNTech SE compared blood samples from 36 people older than 55 who had received the bivalent booster with those from a control group of people over 55 who had received a fourth dose of the original shot. One month later, antibody levels against the widespread BA.4 and BA.5 variants were four-fold higher in people who had received the bivalent shot when compared with those who had received another dose of the original vaccine, the companies said Friday in a statement.