COVID-19 – Indonesia approves six booster vaccines

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) has approved six types of homologous and heterologous boosters for COVID-19 vaccines that have obtained Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) in the country.

“BPOM has issued approvals for the use of two heterologous booster regimens for the COVID-19 vaccine, namely the half-dose Pfizer vaccine for the Sinovac or AstraZeneca primary vaccine, and the half-dose AstraZeneca vaccine for the Sinovac primary vaccine or full-dose for the Pfizer primary vaccine,” the Head of BPOM Penny K Lukito said through a written statement received here on Monday (Jan. 17).

With the additional approvals, the booster vaccines that have obtained emergency use permits in Indonesia have increased to six types.

Data from the agency show that the Sinovac/CoronaVac primary vaccine produced by Indonesia’s national vaccine manufacturer Bio Farma received a full-dose Sinovac (homologous) booster, half-dose AstraZeneca (heterolog), half-dose Pfizer (heterolog) and full-dose Zifivax (heterolog).

Meanwhile, Pfizer primary vaccine received a full-dose Pfizer (homologous) booster, a full-dose AstraZeneca (heterologous), and half-dose Moderna (heterologous).

The primary vaccine AstraZeneca received the booster of AstraZeneca (homologous) full dose, Pfizer (heterolog) half dose, and Moderna (heterolog) half dose.

The Moderna primary vaccine received a half-dose Moderna (homologous) booster, the Janssen primary vaccine received a half-dose Moderna (heterologous) booster, and the Sinopharm primary vaccine received a full Zifivax (heterolog) booster vaccine.

The use of Pfizer vaccine as a half-dose heterologous booster for Sinovac or AstraZeneca primary vaccines showed a high antibody increase 6-9 months (31-38 times) after the complete primary dose, Penny explained.

On the other hand, the increase in antibody after six months of complete primary vaccination of Sinovac vaccine resulted in a higher increase in IgG antibody against S-RBD (105.7 times) compared to before the booster dose was given.

“In general, the Pfizer vaccine booster dose with Sinovac primary vaccine can be tolerated, both local and systemic reactions,” she said.

Meanwhile, the immunogenicity of using AstraZeneca vaccine as a half-dose heterologous booster with Sinovac primary vaccine showed a high increase in IgG antibody against S-RBD (35-38 times), both at booster intervals of 3-6 months (34-35 times) and 6-9 months (35-41 times).

Penny ensured the increase in IgG at half the booster dose was not much different from the full dose. Booster injections with full-dose Pfizer primary vaccine showed an increase in IgG antibody immunogenicity from 3,350 to 13,242.

The BPOM approval to add a booster posology (dose) was made based on the results of clinical trials and supported by a team of experts from the National Committee for Assessing COVID-19 Vaccines and the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI), as well as related clinicians.

Reporting by Indonesia Window