Participants were recently injected with the first doses of experimental new flu vaccines made by Moderna, the Massachusetts-based company announced Monday morning. The flu vaccine is based on the same mRNA technology that made headlines in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna and Pfizer both created vaccines for the pandemic based on teaching the body’s immune system to recognize and fight a specific protein associated with the virus. Both companies’ vaccines have gained full FDA approval. “mRNA vaccines are newly available to the public. However, researchers have been studying and working with mRNA vaccines for decades,” the CDC wrote in an explanation about the technology. According to Monday’s announcement, Moderna’s experimental flu vaccine includes eight mRNAs at different doses and ratios. It will target a variety of influenza strains recommended by the World Health Organization. The vaccine formulas being tested will target two glycoproteins found on the surface on Influenza A and B. “Targeting both viral proteins may limit the virus’ ability to escape the host immune responses through mutations and can potentially lead to better protection,” Moderna wrote. Approximately 560 healthy participants over the age of 18 may eventually be enrolled in the study, which aims to determine which doses are effective, the company said. “We are pleased to apply Moderna’s mRNA platform to address the longstanding design and manufacturing challenges associated with developing seasonal influenza vaccines. We believe that by targeting both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, we can achieve broader immunity and higher vaccine efficacy against circulating influenza strains than traditional influenza vaccines. Moreover, we expect that our platform’s flexibility in targeting multiple strains coupled with our ability to manufacture quickly will facilitate production of a vaccine that matches the predominant circulating influenza strain,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement provided by the company. Moderna is headquartered in Cambridge and has a large facility in Norwood.
Participants were recently injected with the first doses of experimental new flu vaccines made by Moderna, the Massachusetts-based company announced Monday morning.
The flu vaccine is based on the same mRNA technology that made headlines in the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
Advertisement
Moderna and Pfizer both created vaccines for the pandemic based on teaching the body’s immune system to recognize and fight a specific protein associated with the virus. Both companies’ vaccines have gained full FDA approval.
“mRNA vaccines are newly available to the public. However, researchers have been studying and working with mRNA vaccines for decades,” the CDC wrote in an explanation about the technology.
According to Monday’s announcement, Moderna’s experimental flu vaccine includes eight mRNAs at different doses and ratios. It will target a variety of influenza strains recommended by the World Health Organization.
The vaccine formulas being tested will target two glycoproteins found on the surface on Influenza A and B.
“Targeting both viral proteins may limit the virus’ ability to escape the host immune responses through mutations and can potentially lead to better protection,” Moderna wrote.
Approximately 560 healthy participants over the age of 18 may eventually be enrolled in the study, which aims to determine which doses are effective, the company said.
“We are pleased to apply Moderna’s mRNA platform to address the longstanding design and manufacturing challenges associated with developing seasonal influenza vaccines. We believe that by targeting both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, we can achieve broader immunity and higher vaccine efficacy against circulating influenza strains than traditional influenza vaccines. Moreover, we expect that our platform’s flexibility in targeting multiple strains coupled with our ability to manufacture quickly will facilitate production of a vaccine that matches the predominant circulating influenza strain,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement provided by the company.
Moderna is headquartered in Cambridge and has a large facility in Norwood.