Moderna (MRNA) said Wednesday its Omicron-specific bivalent COVID-19 vaccine showed promising preliminary results and could be the right candidate for anticipated fall booster doses.
"A 50 μg booster dose of mRNA-1273.214 met all pre-specified endpoints including superior neutralizing antibody response (geometric mean ratio) against the Omicron variant one month after administration when compared to the original mRNA-1273 vaccine," the company said in a statement Wednesday.
Chief medical officer Dr. Paul Burton told Yahoo Finance a focus on the Omicron variant remains key to ongoing protection.
"The world now, for the first time, knows that if you put Omicron into a new booster vaccine, it's highly effective at generating antibodies seven-fold higher ... compared to what Spikevax (original formula) is able to generate against Omicron," he said.
Earlier, Moderna noted strong protection from its bivalent vaccine that targeted the Beta variant.
"Looking at these data alongside the durability we saw with our first bivalent booster candidate, mRNA-1273.211, we anticipate more durable protection against variants of concern with mRNA-1273.214, making it our lead candidate for a fall 2022 booster. We are submitting our preliminary data and analysis to regulators with the hope that the Omicron-containing bivalent booster will be available in the late summer," said CEO Stéphane Bancel in the statement.
Burton echoed a similar sentiment, saying the data supports an Omicron focus.
"I think Omicron remains the backbone of the current variants. It's 32 antigenic units away from the original virus, so I think having Omicron in the bivalent ... gives you this big halo effect," Burton said.
The implications for the Omicron focus go beyond the U.S., however, as parts of the world remain largely unvaccinated against the coronavirus. Whether due to hesitancy, lack of access or fatigue, the ongoing vulnerability keeps the rest of the world open to new variants, some which could be deadlier or escape vaccine protection, experts say.
"We know that the virus is able to make massive evolutionary leaps. So it's a very fit virus," Burton said.
That's why the company has consistently promoted the idea of annual boosters. And with an Omicron-specific dose, the bivalent vaccine could supplant the original vaccine as the go-to primary course globally.
"This has to be the new fundamental vaccine. This is the variant that we're dealing with today," Burton said.
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