A new vaccine developed by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi has been authorised for use in the UK after meeting required safety, quality and effectiveness standards.
VidPrevtyn Beta became the seventh COVID-19 vaccine to be authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK's independent medicines regulator, following expert advice from the government's independent scientific advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines.
VidPrevtyn Beta combines the spike protein from the Beta COVID-19 variant with an ‘adjuvant' – an additional ingredient designed to trigger a stronger immune response.
The clinical evidence for this authorisation is based on data from around 800 individuals who were given the new vaccine, having previously been immunised with an mRNA or viral-vectored vaccine.
The vaccine demonstrated a strong immune response. The most common side effects observed were mild and self-resolved within a few days of vaccination.
The authorisation is for the use of the new vaccine in those aged 18 and over, as a booster dose given as a single injection.
As with all vaccines, people with an allergy to one of the components listed in the patient information leaflet should not receive the vaccine.