1. The boosters were “barely susceptible” to neutralizing BQ.1 and XBB, according to researchers from New York City-based Columbia University and Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan. Compared to BA.5, omicron subvariant BQ.1.1 was six times more resistant to neutralization, according to the study published Dec. 13 in Cell. XBB.1 — “the most antigenically distinct of the Omicron subvariants” — was 49 times more resistant than BA.5.
2. The bivalent booster offered 73 percent more protection against hospitalization among immunocompetent adults 65 and older, according to the CDC. The results did not indicate variant-specific vaccine effectiveness because the analysis timeline included “both BA.5- and BQ.1/BQ.1.1-predominant periods.”
3. When tested among subvariants, omicron sublineages BQ.1.1 and BA.2.75.2 were the most evasive to the bivalent vaccine, according to a study published Dec. 5 in The Lancet.
4. Compared to people 65 and older, younger and middle-aged adults are less protected against hospitalization after receiving the booster, but it still offers moderate protections, CDC data shows.
5. Here are the geometric mean titers with each subvariant, according to a Nov. 4 preprint:
USA-WA1/2020 — 1533
BA.5 — 95
BF.7 — 69
BA.4.6 — 62
BA.2.75.2 — 26
BQ.1.1 — 22
XBB.1 — 15
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
