Pfizer’s Chief Scientist Tells CNN: Third Shot Increases Antibodies 25-Fold

Dr. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s Chief Scientific Officer, told CNN’s New Day that their studies showed that a third shot of their Covid-19 vaccine increased antibodies by 25-fold, neutralizing the Omicron variant.

Dolsten was on the program to speak with CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta about his company’s news, announced in a press release earlier that morning.

Gupta mentioned that there had been reports that there was a “40-fold drop of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron,” and that Dolsten had previously characterized a 10-fold reduction as a concern. “What is the level of concern right now?” he asked.

Dolsten confirmed that the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine still provided “relevant protection for severe disease” but “clearly the drop in antibodies is substantial.”

“However,” he continued, “the good news this morning is that our data show, convincingly, when you get your boost, the antibodies rise 25-fold and are now similar to the original two-dose, protected well against ancestral strains as well as Delta.”

The third shot provided “a robust, quite impressive antibody response as well as a strengthening of the T-cells,” he said, emphasizing that it was “time to get the third boost,” and that people should be “very encouraged by this morning’s news.”

“What you’re basically saying is three doses against Omicron is similar to what we saw with two doses with the original strain,” Gupta confirmed, asking Dolsten if it was his position that being “fully vaccinated” now meant three shots as opposed to two.

Dolsten agreed “that’s a good way to look at this,” now that the Omicron strain was here, and looking at the breadth of the immune response from the third dose.

He further added that the original two doses still showed a T-cell response that would “still have some protection against severe disease,” but again, with just two doses, their studies showed that the antibody response, “which plays a critical role to prevent infection and symptomatic disease,” was down “quite a lot.”

“If you get your third dose, it rises 25-fold, very dramatically,” he said. “To be protected from Omicron, you need a three-dose vaccination. The three-dose area is what you need.”

Gupta asked about the status of an Omicron-specific booster and if people should wait for that, or go ahead and get a booster of the existing vaccine now.

Dolsten was adamant that their data showed that “everyone should get vaccinated, and as soon as possible get the third dose,” and not wait until March of next year when an Omicron-targeted booster might be available. Whether or not specific variant boosters would be needed in Spring 2022 and beyond, “that needs to be evaluated,” he said, but the current boosters would leave you “very well protected” through the winter and into spring.

The Pfizer executive offered encouraging words about their capacity to manufacture these vaccine doses in large capacities and to continue studying and adapting to new variants.

“I think we have all the tools available,” said Dolsten, mentioning an additional “optimistic message” that not only was their third booster shot so effective, but they were also in the final weeks before seeking regulatory approval for an oral treatment for the Covid-19 disease itself.

Watch the video above, via CNN.