News story

Sanofi Pasteur COVID-19 vaccine authorised by MHRA

This new vaccine, VidPrevtyn Beta, has been authorised after meeting the MHRA’s required safety, quality and effectiveness standards.

VidPrevtyn Beta, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sanofi, has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

It becomes the seventh COVID-19 vaccine authorised by the UK’s independent medicines regulator, following expert advice from the government’s independent scientific advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines.

VidPrevtyn Beta combines the spike protein from a COVID virus variant, Beta, with an ‘adjuvant’ – an additional ingredient designed to trigger a stronger immune response.

The clinical evidence for this authorisation is based on data from about 800 individuals previously immunised with an mRNA or viral-vectored vaccine.

The vaccine demonstrated a strong immune response. The most common side effects observed were mild and self-resolved within a few days of vaccination.

The authorisation is for the use of this vaccine in those aged 18 and over, as a heterologous booster dose, given as a single injection. This means that those who received a different vaccine (mRNA or viral-vectored) as a primary course, can receive this vaccine as a booster.

As with all vaccines, people with an allergy to one of the components listed in the patient information leaflet should not receive the vaccine.

Notes to Editor

Updates to this page

Published 21 December 2022