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The U.S. Food ‌and Drug Administration is set to discuss which variants the updated COVID-19 vaccine will target.

According to the Daily Express, advisers are deciding which of the latest subvariants, NB.1.8.1 or XFG, the 2027-27 vaccine will target.

The World Health Organization notes that the new variants emerged last year.

Recently, the WHO urged vaccine manufacturers to target the monvarient LP.8.1 strain over other circulating variants, such as XFG or NB.1.8.1.

The FDA has not yet decided which route to take ahead of a scheduled meeting on Thursday.

It marks the first discussions of COVID vaccines after the departure of Commissioner Marty Makary.

His replacement, Deputy Commissioner for Food Kyle Diamantas, assumed Makary’s duties on May 12.

For the 2025-26 season, the FDA recommended that COVID shots target LP.8.1, a subvariant of the JN.1 strain.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports showed the XFG subvariant was ⁠estimated to account for the majority of cases in the United States.

Vaccine manufacturers Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Novavax shared that they are ready to produce an XFG vaccine for the 2026-27 vaccination season.