Moderna’s Combination Flu and COVID-19 Vaccine Shows Promising Results in Late-Stage Trial

1. Moderna's mRNA-1083 Vaccine: Moderna's experimental combination vaccine, mRNA-1083, has shown promising results in a late-stage clinical trial, eliciting a stronger immune response against both influenza and COVID-19 compared to separate vaccines for each virus.
2. Late-Stage Trial: The trial involved approximately 8,000 participants aged 50 and above and demonstrated the vaccine's safety and tolerability, with side effects similar to those of other vaccines used in the trial.
3. Immune Response: The combination vaccine generated higher immune responses against influenza strains H1N1, H3N2, and B/Victoria and against SARS-CoV-2 compared to licensed flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
4. Targeted Demographic: The trial focused on older adults, who are more likely to continue receiving COVID-19 vaccines, but Moderna plans to offer the vaccine to younger age groups as well.
5. Potential Launch: Moderna anticipates launching the combination vaccine for the autumn respiratory disease season in 2025, although a delay until 2026 is possible.
6. Competitors: Pfizer and BioNTech are also testing a similar two-in-one mRNA vaccine against flu and COVID-19.
7. Advantages: mRNA vaccines are expected to be quicker to produce and update than current flu vaccines, making them a more effective solution against ever-evolving strains.