New combination vaccine from Moderna: Protects against flu and Covid-19!

New combination vaccine from Moderna: Protects against flu and Covid-19!

Moderna has made significant progress in the field of immunization against influenza and Covid-19 with the development of a new combination vaccine called “mRNA-1083”. Following the positive results of a phase 3 study carried out on over 8,000 participants aged 50 and over in the USA, initial data show that the combination vaccine has at least the same or even better effect than conventional single vaccinations. These results were published in the prestigious journal JAMA, and special attention is paid to older people, especially those over 65 years of age.

The study divided the participants into two groups: one group received the combination vaccination, while the other received the approved individual vaccines. The immune response to the vaccines was high, particularly for the common flu viruses and the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The study found that the immune response was significantly increased for influenza strains A/H1N1, A/H3N2 and B/Victoria. In addition to Covid-19 immunity, the vaccine also contains mRNA components against a total of five influenza strains, but remarkably has a weaker effect against the influenza B strain “Yamagata”, which is considered to have been eradicated worldwide. Side effects were mostly mild and included fatigue, headache and pain at the injection site, while no serious side effects occurred.

Expectations of the combination vaccine

With mRNA-1083, Moderna's goal is to simplify the annual vaccination for older people and risk groups and thus increase the vaccination rate. According to the latest results, also published on the company's website, the company is moving forward to present the Phase 3 data at medical conferences soon and talk to regulators about next steps.

Compared to competitors such as BioNTech and Pfizer, Moderna's combination vaccine shows better effectiveness in terms of the influenza components. However, a specific approval date for the vaccine is still pending as the study situation continues to be evaluated. For older people and risk groups affected by severe disease, this combination vaccine could play an important role and offer significant advantages in immunization.

Context of vaccine research

The development of mRNA-based vaccines, as pioneered by Moderna and other companies, has made strong progress in recent years. According to the information from vfa, there are currently numerous RNA-based vaccines in various stages of development that address different diseases. These innovative technologies could make a crucial contribution to combating epidemics and improving public health.

Overall, research on mRNA vaccines shows that a combination of vaccines against multiple viruses is a promising approach to increasing vaccination rates and protecting the health of vulnerable groups. The outcome of these current studies could therefore have far-reaching implications for the management of seasonal diseases and global health crises.