NIH Finds ‘Mix and Match’ Approach Effective for COVID-19 Boosters

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found that a “mix and match” approach using different COVID-19 booster vaccines is safe and effective.

The preliminary findings, released ahead of an FDA advisory committee meeting exploring the issue yesterday and today, suggest that an extra shot of the Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech jab induces greater immunity than another dose of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine.

The 458-person phase 1/2 study assessed antibody responses at two weeks and four weeks following administration of a booster. Individuals who received a two-dose Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech primary series received either a Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech or J&J booster, while those who received a single J&J shot were given an extra J&J, Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech shot.

An additional dose of the same vaccine as the primary series boosted antibody levels four- to 20-fold, while mixing and matching primary vaccines and booster doses boosted antibody levels six- to 76-fold.