Moderna is developing a single vaccine that will provide a booster dose against Covid and the company’s experimental flu vaccine, Reuters reports.
The company said it is working on trials to test the single-shot and hopes to also include a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory diseases as an annual shot.
“Today we are announcing the first step in our novel respiratory vaccine program with the development of a single dose vaccine that combines a booster against COVID-19 and a booster against flu,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement. “We are making progress on enrolling patients in our rare disease programs, and we are fully enrolled in our personalized cancer vaccine trial. We believe this is just the beginning of a new age of information-based medicines.”
The company already has several versions of its flu vaccine in development and the latest adapted its most promising version to include a booster dose against Covid.
Testing to begin next year:
The company is expected to start clinical trials to test the single-shot vaccine in the next six to 12 months.
"The question becomes that after the pandemic is over, how much do total vaccine sales become and how much can Moderna expand that market," Oppenheimer & Co analyst Hartaj Singh told Reuters.
Novavax, which has developed a Covid vaccine that has yet to be authorized by the FDA, said it has already begun early-stage studies to test combining its vaccine with a flu shot.
Stock rises:
The company’s stock jumped more than 5% after the announcement.
The company also said Thursday that it is testing a smaller dose of its Covid vaccine on children between 6 months and 11 years old.
The Covid trial is currently in its mid-stage with a study involving 4,000 children.
The company said Thursday it will also try to develop a pediatric vaccine that will combine vaccines for the respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus.
