Toronto 
Today, Health Canada announced that the agency has approved new brand names for the vaccines now available in Canada.
The mRNA Vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will now be known as Comirnaty and SpikeVax respectively, while the AstraZeneca vaccine will be called Vaxzevria.
The name changes come after the full approval for the New Drug Submission (NDS-CV) by Health Canada for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 12 years of age and older.
(2/4) The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will now be named Comirnaty, the vaccine will be named SpikeVax, and the AstraZeneca vaccine will be named Vaxzevria.
— Health Canada and PHAC (@GovCanHealth) September 16, 2021
A news release by Pfizer-BioNTech states, “Although the vaccine’s brand name will be COMIRNATY following this approval, Canada will continue to receive vials of the vaccine labeled as Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. The formulation for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is the same formulation as COMIRNATY and they are considered interchangeable by Health Canada to provide the COVID-19 vaccination series. Given the current ongoing pandemic, a gradual transition to new labeling with the COMIRNATY brand name will occur at a later date.”
Moderna through a news release stated SPIKEVAX (elasomeran mRNA vaccine) showed 93% efficacy, and that the efficacy remained durable through six months after the administration of the second dose.
The AstraZeneca Vaxzevria COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for use in Canada under the Interim Order.
Health Canada says only the names have changed and there are no changes to the vaccines themselves.
