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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
The FDA has officially approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Novavax-Sanofi for the 2026–27 immunization season, all reformulated to target the dominant XFG variant. The decision follows an 8-to-1 advisory panel vote in May and aligns with a similar recommendation from Europe's EMA. Both mRNA and protein-based options are now available ahead of the upcoming season.
The FDA has given the green light to updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Novavax-Sanofi for the 2026–27 immunization season. All three manufacturers reformulated their shots to target XFG, the dominant circulating variant in the U.S. — a JN.1 lineage subvariant that accounted for more than half of U.S. cases as of mid-April. The move follows an 8-to-1 vote by the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) in May, and mirrors a parallel recommendation from the European Medicines Agency.
Four vaccines are now approved for U.S. use: Moderna's mNEXSPIKE and Spikevax, Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty (all mRNA-based), and Novavax-Sanofi's protein-based Nuvaxovid. The protein-based option takes longer to manufacture but offers an alternative for those who prefer non-mRNA vaccines. Notably, the WHO had recommended LP.8.1 for global use, but U.S. and EU regulators opted for XFG — partly because Sanofi's shot was only available in the XFG formulation.
By the Numbers:
50%: Share of U.S. cases attributed to XFG as of April 11
Why it matters: With COVID surveillance data increasingly sparse due to reduced sequencing, regulators had to make strain selection decisions with limited real-time data. The FDA's approval ensures Americans have access to updated, variant-matched vaccines ahead of the fall/winter surge season.
