A health worker has a Modern COVID-19 vaccine vial at an emerging vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) in New York on January 29, 2021.
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Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective in protecting against Covid and more than 95% effective against serious illness up to six months after the second dose, the company said Tuesday, citing updated data of his phase three clinical trial.
The update makes Moderna one more step in terms of submitting its application for full U.S. approval for its vaccine. Full approval requires a more rigorous review process to demonstrate that the shot is safe and effective for its intended use. Once fully approved, Moderna can begin marketing the catches directly to consumers and selling them to individuals and private companies in the U.S.
The new data included Covid-19 cases through April 9 and assessed more than 900 cases, including more than 100 serious cases, he said. The vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration for persons over 18 years of age, and the agency may revoke the emergency or US use authorization in Any moment. Modern sent only two months of US security tracking data. The FDA usually requires six months for full approval.
The company said its results are preliminary. Modern said she will share up-to-date data on efficacy against asymptomatic infection and antibody persistence throughout the year.
The new data comes after a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that antibodies induced by the Modern vaccine were still present six months after the second dose. It also comes after Pfizer said earlier this month that its vaccine, which uses technology similar to that of Moderna, was also shown to be very effective six months after the second dose.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist who has been involved in several safety checks and medication data boards, described the Modern update as “surprising news” and said he was pleased to hear that the two vaccines against mRNAs are highly effective at six months.
“I think it’s fair to estimate that both will have decent efficiency for many months beyond that,” he said.
Modern still evaluates its vaccine in people 17 years of age or younger.
The company said Tuesday that its trial to test the vaccine in teens ages 12 to 17 is now fully registered, with about 3,000 participants in the U.S.
He noted that his trial testing the vaccine in children 6 months to 11 years old is enrolling participants. It expects to enroll 6,750 healthy pediatric participants in the U.S. and Canada. As in the Pfizer study, children will begin to receive a low dose of the vaccine before progressively switching to higher doses.