Moderna
The company's preliminary study of the next-gen COVID vaccine candidate showed that trial participants given the "bivalent" vaccine produced more Omicron-neutralizing antibodies compared to those just given a fourth dose of Moderna's current COVID vaccine.
"We are submitting our preliminary data and analysis to regulators with the hope that the Omicron--containing bivalent booster will be available in the late summer," CEO Stephane Bancel said in a press statement.
The company's current vaccine was developed to target the original SARS-CoV-2 viral strain that first emerged in Wuhan, China, back in 2019. Since that original strain, the virus has mutated to become more transmissible, producing new dominant strains like Delta and Omicron. That evolution has caused original COVID vaccines to be less effective at protecting against infection, leading to the need for booster doses to increase efficiency.
While the current generation of COVID vaccines still offer strong protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death, a vaccine designed to target both the original virus and the highly contagious Omicron strain may offer some more protection against infection and transmission. Rivals Pfizer
Due to the higher antibody response seen in trial participants receiving the bivalent vaccine, Moderna predicts that using this vaccine as a booster shot may provide protection that is "more durable over time" against Omicron compared to additional doses of its current vaccine. That means this vaccine has the potential to be a yearly booster shot, similar to those given ahead of the flu season.
Moderna's preliminary data has yet to undergo peer review. The company plans to continue tracking the antibody levels of participants at three and six months post inoculation. The company plans to submit its data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks, and has already begun manufacturing the doses to be ready in the U.S. for the later half of the year.
