Key points:
- The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) held its twice-yearly decision-making meeting in December 2025 to review the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the performance of currently approved COVID-19 vaccines and the implications for COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition.
- The objective of an update to COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition is to enhance vaccine-induced immune responses to circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants.
- Following this meeting, the TAG-CO-VAC advises vaccine manufacturers that monovalent LP.8.1 is the recommended vaccine antigen.
- The previously recommended JN.1 lineage (JN.1 or KP.2) antigens remain suitable alternatives and vaccination should not be delayed in anticipation of access to vaccines with the LP.8.1 composition.
- Other approaches that demonstrate broad and robust neutralizing antibody responses or efficacy against currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants could also be considered.
- Vaccination remains an important public health countermeasure against COVID-19. As per the WHO Director General's standing recommendations for COVID-19 , Member States are recommended to continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination based on the recommendations of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).
The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) continues to closely monitor the genetic and antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination, and the performance of COVID-19 vaccines against circulating variants. Based on these evaluations, WHO advises vaccine manufacturers and regulatory authorities on the implications for future updates to COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition. In May 2025, the TAG-CO-VAC recommended that monovalent JN.1 or KP.2 remain appropriate vaccine antigens and that monovalent LP.8.1 is a suitable alternative vaccine antigen . Multiple manufacturers (using mRNA or recombinant protein-based vaccines) have updated COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition to monovalent JN.1 lineage formulations (JN.1, KP.2 or LP.8.1). Several of these vaccines have been approved for use by regulatory authorities and have been introduced into vaccination programmes. Previous statements from the TAG-CO-VAC can be found on the WHO website .
The TAG-CO-VAC reconvened on 8-9 December 2025 to review the genetic and antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2; immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or COVID-19 vaccination; the performance of currently approved vaccines against circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants; and the implications for COVID-19 vaccine antigen composition.
Evidence reviewed
The published and unpublished evidence reviewed by the TAG-CO-VAC included: (1) SARS-CoV-2 genetic evolution with additional support from the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution
