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US-based Brand Institute has announced its successful partnership with Moderna in naming their mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: SPIKEVAX®. The brand name was announced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare when the agency approved the vaccine's booster shot on December 16, 2021.
The "spike" in "SPIKEVAX" refers to the spike glycoprotein, one of the key characteristics of SARS-CoV-2. The mRNA vaccine SPIKEVAX® gives instructions for cells to produce copies of the spike protein, which subsequently become targets for the generation of neutralizing antibodies against them. In doing so, the body develops immunity to SARS-CoV-2 viral infection.
SPIKEVAX® has also been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Health Canada. The approval of the brand name by other global regulatory agencies will follow their respective guidelines, policies and procedures.
