Europe – EMA confirms its recommendation to update the antigenic composition of authorised COVID-19 vaccines for 2024- 2025

In April 2024, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued a recommendation to change the antigenic composition of authorised COVID-19 vaccines for use during the 2024-2025 vaccination campaign.
The EMA Emergency Task Force (ETF) recommended to adapt vaccines to target the JN.1 family of Omicron subvariants to ensure cross-reactivity against the dominant strain (JN.1) and emerging strains and to increase the breadth of immunity against descendent lineages. Vaccine compositions targeting JN.1 subvariants could be considered if there was adequate justification. This position is in line with the WHO recommendation issued on 26 April 2024.
During its June plenary meeting, the CHMP recommended authorising an adapted Comirnaty vaccine targeting the JN.1 subvariant. The EC decision was expedited on 3 July 2024. Spikevax, Nuvaxovid and Bimervax vaccines targeting JN.1 are under evaluation by the CHMP…