Moderna's COVID-19 Shot Provides Over 90% Effectiveness Six Months After Second Dose, Boosters Can Potentially Fight Against Variants

Vandana Singh
2 min read
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In this article:

  • Just a day before Moderna Inc’s (NASDAQ: MRNA) second annual Vaccines Day, the company has posted an update on its COVID-19 Vaccine Program, including a 6-month look at the COVID-19 shot and new preclinical data that suggest its booster candidates stand a chance against new variants.

  • COVID-19 Vaccine Additional Data: An updated review of 900-plus COVID-19 cases from the Phase 3 COVE study confirms the jab is more than 90% effective against all cases and over 95% effective against severe cases.

  • According to results published in the New England Journal of Medicine, an NIH-led Phase 1 study in 33 participants showed that antibodies persisted six months after the second dose.

  • Moderna believes efficacy starts in two weeks after the second dose.

  • Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (NASDAQ: BNTX) partnered jab demonstrated six months after the second dose an overall efficacy rate of 91.3%.

  • Variant-Specific Booster Candidates: Moderna’s variant-specific booster dubbed mRNA-1273.351, designed to target the B.1.351 mutation first identified in South Africa, elicited neutralizing titers against the variant that were comparable to those produced against the original virus.

  • mRNA-1273.211, a combination of mRNA-1273.351 and Moderna’s already authorized vaccine, also increased neutralizing titers against variants.

  • The company said its results are preliminary. Moderna noted it would share updated data on efficacy against asymptomatic infection and the persistence of antibodies throughout the year.

  • Additional Studies Update: Phase 2/3 TeenCOVE study is fully enrolled with about 3,000 participants between the ages of 12 and 17 in the U.S. That trial will assess a 100 µg dose of the vaccine.

  • Meanwhile, the Phase 2/3 KidCOVE study is still recruiting children between 6 months and 11 years old. The company hopes to enroll 6,750 healthy participants in the two-part dose-escalation study.

  • Supply Update: As of April 12, Moderna had shipped out 132 million doses globally, including about 117 million to the U.S.

  • Roughly 88 million doses were delivered to the U.S. in Q1, in addition to about 14 million elsewhere. Plans are in place to ramp up the company’s ex-US supply chain.

  • Moderna says it’s on track to deliver 100 million doses to the U.S. by the end of May and another 100 million by the end of July.

  • Price Action: MRNA shares are up 2.6% at $153.6 in the premarket on the last check Wednesday.

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