FDA Recommends Use of KP.2 Strain for Latest COVID-19 Injections

The FDA announced Thursday that it has advised COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to use the KP.2 strain in updated vaccines for the 2024-2025 season.

The FDA advisory committee unanimously decided on 6/5 to recommend the JN.1 strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as a vaccine for this season. The committee also discussed recommending the JN.1 strain for the vaccine.

The FDA is currently recommending that KP.2 strain, the so-called flIRT variant, be used in this season's vaccine if possible, based on ongoing monitoring of circulating strains.

Both KP.2 and JN.1 are descendants of the JN.1 lineage.

The FDA says that vaccine supply in the US this year will not be delayed due to this change.

COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers for the US market include Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) /BioNTech (NASDAQ: BNTX), Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), and Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX).