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Novavax and Valneva: Stiko expert points out important difference and has crucial advice

2022-01-12T05:05:23.907Z


Novavax and Valneva: Stiko expert points out important difference and has crucial advice Created: 01/12/2022, 05:55 AM From: Franziska Schwarz The range of Covid-19 vaccines in the EU is growing. Novavax is already conditionally approved, Valneva is to come. One can argue about whether both are dead vaccines. Munich - The debate was there much faster than the vaccines themselves. If mRNA or ve


Novavax and Valneva: Stiko expert points out important difference and has crucial advice

Created: 01/12/2022, 05:55 AM

From: Franziska Schwarz

The range of Covid-19 vaccines in the EU is growing.

Novavax is already conditionally approved, Valneva is to come.

One can argue about whether both are dead vaccines.

Munich - The debate was there much faster than the vaccines themselves. If mRNA or vector vaccines are not “classic” enough for whom, Novavax and Valneva are now two dead vaccines against Corona * in prospect. That was certainly an issue in many German households on the past holidays. Even if Karl Lauterbach already pointed out on Twitter in mid-December that it was not entirely correct to call Novavax a dead vaccine.

It is important for the SPD * health minister to distinguish between the fact that Novavax is a "recombined protein vaccine".

But could that make a difference?

A conversation between

Apotheken Umschau

(December issue) with Stiko member Professor Christian Bogdan is illuminating.

After reading it, you still have the term “whole virus vaccine” in your repertoire.

Valneva is one of those.

It contains the complete Sars-CoV-2 virus - naturally inactivated (killed).

Thus a classic dead vaccine.

Novavax, on the other hand, contains the (genetically engineered) spike protein of the pathogen.

Because this is on the surface of the virus, it can be "seen" directly by antibodies, Bogdan classified the mode of action.

Valneva's inactivated corona vaccine arouses great expectations.

© Justin Tallis / AFP

Stiko expert on Novovax and Valneva: "Wait for study data"

So does a comparison of Novavax and Valneva even make sense?

"Compared to the vaccines, which only target the spike protein, a whole virus vaccine triggers a broader immune response," Bogdan told the

pharmacy

around, because it is then directed against other virus components, for example inside the pathogen.

Bogdan therefore believes a broader immune response is possible - theoretically.

“Whether this really provides better protection against the disease at the end of the day must be shown by the clinical study data and post-marketing studies,” he said.

Even with the Omikron variant, one has to wait for studies.

Inactivated vaccines: Experts use the term inconsistently

The term “dead vaccines” is used inconsistently by experts.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) * stated, for example, that since the Novavax product does not contain any viruses that can replicate, it can be "equated with dead vaccines".

This broad definition also includes mRNA and vector vaccines such as those from Biontech * or Astrazeneca.

The Federal Ministry of Research * defines the term "dead vaccine" more narrowly and includes such vaccines that contain components of the pathogen.

So Novavax would be one of them.

According to the even narrower definition, however, not, because it contains neither the actual virus nor parts of it - its spike protein is genetically engineered.

But does that matter now?

Professor Bogdan warns against jumping to conclusions: "Because a classic vaccine concept was used here, you cannot assume a priori that this vaccine would be more effective or safer," he told the

pharmacy around the world

.

In your own interest you shouldn't “wait” for Valneva (Novavax is already approved in the EU), but get vaccinated “as soon as possible”.

(frs)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-12

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