21/10/2022 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission authorised, on Thursday 20 October, the bivalent messenger RNA vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company Moderna and adapted to combat not only the original SARS-CoV-2 strain but also two of its sub-variants of concern: BA.4 and BA.5 (Omicron). The Commission’s decision is based on the scientific assessment of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which issued a favourable recommendation the same day (see EUROPE 13047/22). The Commission had announced on 2 June an agreement with Moderna to modify the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine delivery schedule and to include second generation vaccines (see EUROPE 12964/24) in the deliveries. In addition, a vaccine adapted to BA.4 and BA.5, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, had already been authorised on 12 September (see EUROPE 13020/31). (EV)