03/18/2024
Newest COVID vaccine formula prevents severe outcomes in Omicron sub-variants, analysis finds
Cleveland Clinic researchers have published the first comprehensive investigation into the safety and effectiveness of the newest version of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The results demonstrate updated formulas released to combat new variants in September 2023 protect patients from severe complications of infection, including hospitalization and death.
"As part of our mission to improve public health and safety, it is essential to provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of the updated vaccines," says study lead author Xiaofeng Wang, PhD, Quantitative Health Sciences. "While the FDA and representative vaccine companies released initial assessments, additional verification is necessary to uphold rigorous standards and reassure the public of the vaccines' efficacy."
The Lancet study, which analyzed the clinical outcomes of over 27,000 Cleveland Clinic patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 between September 2023 and January 2024, also reports that common antivirals molnupiravir (Lagevrio®) and nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid®) are effective in treating modern variants including the Omicron XBB1.5 "Kraken" subvariant.
These findings come on the heels of a previous study published by the same team that demonstrated the success of molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir in mitigating severe outcomes of infections caused by Omicron sub-variants circulating in 2022 and early 2023. This shift in focus reflects the evolving landscape of COVID-19 research and reinforces the need to verify different treatments' effectiveness against new strains.
Dr. Wang and his research team collaborated with Abhijit Duggal, MD, Pulmonary Medicine specialist and Vice Chair of the Department of Critical Care to ensure his team's research was able to focus on the clinical context of treatment outcomes like hospitalization, secondary infections and death. The clinical collaboration also helped Dr. Wang's team ensure the data they analyzed came from the populations Cleveland Clinic serves.
"Continually evaluating new treatment options as they become available allows us to provide valuable guidance for policymakers, healthcare professionals and the public regarding the choice and deployment of treatment options in the ongoing battle against COVID-19," Dr. Wang says.
