Pfizer says updated COVID shot generated strong reaction vs new variant in mice

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer on Wednesday said the updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine expected to be used this fall elicited a strong antibody response against the highly mutated BA.2.86 subvariant of the coronavirus in a preclinical study in mice.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has previously indicated that BA.2.86 may be more capable of causing infection in people who previously had COVID or were vaccinated with previous shots.

Moderna said earlier on Wednesday that clinical trial data in humans showed its updated shot will likely be effective against the BA.2.86 variant.

(Reporting by Michael Erman; editing by Jonathan Oatis)