Moderna is working on a new corona vaccine that should also protect against the omicron variant. The developers are enthusiastic about the first study results.
Munich – Despite the summer temperatures, new corona infections are currently climbing again. The infection rate in Germany with a current seven-day incidence of 472.4 (as of June 15) is still far behind the figures for spring 2022. Nevertheless, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach sees the republic in the middle of a summer wave.
And it is foreseeable that the infection process will continue to pick up speed until autumn. Mainly because of new variants of the corona virus like that Omicron subtype BA.5. The mutation has been on the rise in Europe for quite some time. What helps with containment is an immunized population. The US company Moderna is currently working on a combined vaccine that is also specifically aimed at the new Omicron variant.
“We are thrilled”: Moderna reports positive study results for the new Omikron vaccine
The company conducted a study to examine how the new vaccine works. The results are probably quite positive: “We are thrilled,” said Moderna boss Stéphane Bancel. He expects that Moderna’s new combination vaccine could soon be in demand. When it comes to an application for approval for a corona booster vaccination for the coming autumn. “We want to be ready for delivery as early as August,” Bancel announced in an interview with investors.
According to Moderna, 814 adults took part in the study of the new Omikon vaccine. All have already received three doses of Moderna’s original Corona vaccine, Spikevax. About half were now on a fourth dose of Spikevax. The second group was vaccinated against both variants with the new so-called bivalent vaccine.
New Corona vaccine from Moderna: antibodies against omicron about 75 percent higher
The study participants who received the new vaccine had an average of about 75 percent higher levels of antibodies against the omicron variant. Their immune protection against the earlier corona variants was also slightly higher than in the comparison group.
However, the new vaccine produces slightly fewer antibodies against the new subtypes of omicron. Moderna admitted that. Nevertheless, the protective effect is higher than with a booster vaccination with Spikevax. Moderna has no data on how long the new mRNA vaccine protects. (kuc/dpa)
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