Safety and immunogenicity of a reduced, homologous booster dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: a single blind, randomized, non-inferiority follow-up trial.
Stéphanie Depickère, Pieter Pannus, Sarah Houben et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of a 10 μg versus 30 μg booster dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in 132 healthy adults. The study found that while the reduced-dose booster did not meet non-inferiority criteria for humoral immune responses at day 28, by month 6, antibody levels were similar between groups, and reactogenicity was significantly lower in the reduced-dose group (41% vs. 78%, P < 0.0001).
Key findings
- Reactogenicity was significantly lower in the reduced-dose group (41% vs. 78%, P < 0.0001).
- At day 28, the reduced-dose booster did not meet non-inferiority criteria for humoral immune responses.
- By month 6, antibody titers were comparable between reduced- and full-dose recipients.
- Breakthrough infection incidence was similar between groups (69% vs. 62%, P = 0.56).
Why it matters
Understanding the safety and immunogenicity of reduced-dose COVID-19 vaccine boosters is crucial for optimizing vaccination strategies, especially in resource-limited settings. This study suggests that lower doses may maintain immunity while reducing adverse effects.