Good Day BIO: Bivalent boosters and biotech crops

Two studies published yesterday show bivalent vaccines provide better protection against new subvariants than monovalent vaccines alone. Plus: news on China’s and Mexico’s plans for biotech crops and how biotech is supercharging cancer-fighting T cells. (654 words, 3 minutes, 16 seconds)

Bivalent boosters protect against COVID subvariants, studies show

The bivalent COVID-19 boosters provide better protection against infection, hospitalization, and death from the XBB variants than the monovalent vaccine alone, say two studies published yesterday. 

The news: A bivalent booster on top of 2-4 monovalent doses was 48% more effective against symptomatic infection from the XBB and XBB.1.5 subvariants than the monovalent vaccine alone, finds a new CDC study. Additional protection lasted at least three months.

It’s the first study involving bivalent boosters and these subvariants—which are becoming the dominant strain of COVID-19 virus in the U.S., CDC says.

Even better: The bivalent booster was 61.8% effective against hospitalization or death, compared to 24.9% for the monovalent booster, says a New England Journal of Medicine study based on September-December data.

The next steps: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet today to discuss a proposal to update COVID vaccines annually, like the flu vaccine—watch here.   

More Health News: 

Biopharma Dive: Veteran biotech leader George Scangos to step down as Vir CEO
“He will step down from his post on April 3 and be replaced by Marianne De Backer, currently head of business strategy and development at Bayer’s pharmaceuticals division. Scangos will serve in an advisory role through June 2 and hold a position on Vir’s board afterwards.” 

Nature: The race to supercharge cancer-fighting T cells
“Advances in genome editing through processes such as CRISPR, and the ability to rewire cells through synthetic biology, have led to increasingly elaborate approaches for modifying and supercharging T cells for therapy. Such techniques are providing tools to counter some of the limitations of current CAR-T therapies.”

China approves eight biotech crops – a promising development

China’s decision to allow the importation of biotech crops—including two waiting more than a decade for approval—is a step in the right direction, says BIO.

The news: China announced earlier this month it would allow the importation of eight genetically modified crops—including alfalfa developed by BIO member Bayer and submitted for approval more than a decade ago, and canola by BIO member Corteva, also waiting a decade.

But: China has not yet permitted any major biotech food crops for cultivation and its hesitancy to approve biotech crops in general is considered more political than science-based, Reuters says.

How we got here: Under the Phase One Agreement China and the U.S. signed in 2020, China agreed to “reduce the application review time for products for animal feed or for further processing to no more than 24 months, on average,” according to the USDA.

Why it matters: Access to biotechnology is essential to addressing global food security and high prices, USDA's trade undersecretary Alexis Taylor told Reuters. The news also opens a huge market for U.S. growers.

BIO’s reaction: “BIO welcomes these approvals and sees this as a positive step toward resolving the longstanding challenges biotechnology developers face in obtaining import approvals in China,” says Beth Ellikidis, BIO’s VP for Agriculture and Environment. “BIO urges the U.S. government to continue to engage with China to fully comply with the ‘Phase One’ commitments, including finalizing submission approvals within two years. Honoring these commitments will help China implement a transparent, predictable, efficient, science- and risk-based regulatory process.”

More Agriculture & Environment News:

Reuters: Mexico hopes to reduce corn imports 30%-40% by 2024, official says
“Mexico will not be able to completely replace all the corn it imports by 2024, Deputy Agriculture Minister Victor Suarez said on Wednesday, but it hopes to reduce its purchases between 30% and 40%.”

President Biden’s Thursday: Speaking at the steamfitters union hall in Springfield, Va., laying the groundwork for reelection in a speech expected to target Republican proposals as dangerous for the economy, according to Reuters. Later, celebrating the Lunar New Year at the White House.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House will consider a Republican-sponsored bill prohibiting using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve without a corresponding increase in gas and oil production on federal lands.