Pharmaceutical company Moderna announced that its combined COVID and flu vaccine, which targets both diseases in a single jab, has passed the crucial part of late-stage scientific checks.
COVID-Flu Combo Vaccine
It has been a couple of years since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of us think that the coronavirus is behind us. The truth, however, is that the virus is not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, high hospitalization rates for COVID-19 in the previous winter indicate that SARS-CoV-2 can still cause serious infection.
To prevent more cases of viral infection, health officials recommend people to get vaccinated for both COVID-19 and influence every year. Soon, the general public may get one shot instead of two.
On June 10, drug company Modern announced that its 2-in-1 vaccine against COVID-19 and flu can generate better immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza than those triggered by separate shots. The experimental jab passed a late-stage clinical trial which included adults aged 50 and older.
The new vaccine combo, called mRNA-1083, has ongoing clinical trials against several licensed shots intended to protect against either COVID-19 or flu. According to Modern, the combined shot produced significantly higher immune responses to three flu subtypes and to the coronavirus.
The findings have not yet been reviewed by experts outside of Modern. The biotechnology company plans to publish its results in a scientific journal and to present it at an upcoming medical conference.
Moderna spokespersons reveal that the company plans to have the new vaccine approved by fall 2025. While Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax are also currently working on their own version of COVID-flu shots, Modern is the first to release advance-stage clinical trial data.
READ ALSO: Moderna Commits to Make More Vaccines, Combination Shots to Immunize Against Multiple Diseases
Benefits of a Combination Vaccine
In order to stay protected from ongoing viral infections, people have to get annual flu shots and updated COVID-19 separately. With a combination vaccine, the vaccination process would be streamlined while boosting coverage through convenience.
According to Moderna's chief medical affairs officer Dr. Francesca Ceddia, a combination shot can help free up pharmacists' and doctors' time by reducing the number of individual jabs that they need to administer. Aside from convenience, the new vaccine combo can also be more protective than the currently existing shots which are provided individually.
The new mRNA-1083 has two components, both made of a generic molecule known as messenger RNA. Once it enters the human body, mRNA instructs the cells to create specific proteins, in this case, those that are found on the surface of COVID-19 and flu viruses.
The vaccine was built upon the Nobel Prize-winning technology which was used to develop the first vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Since the release of those shots, mRNA has been used in developing experimental treatments and vaccines against diseases like deadly brain tumors and ultra-rare genetic disorders.
During the last autumn and winter season, the rate of flu vaccination outpaced COVID-19 vaccination for adults. Some experts hope that the introduction of the combination vaccine can help pull that rate up. As of now, Moderna works with regulators for the approval of the new shot for adults, although it has not noted when it might be tested in the younger population.
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