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The combined vaccine, developed by Moderna, has shown "significantly higher" immune responses compared to flu and COVID-19 vaccines administered separately. These results come from an ongoing study comparing mRNA-1083 with several already authorized vaccines.
Moderna hopes to obtain approval for this new vaccine by the fall of 2025, which could simplify vaccination by combining annual flu and COVID-19 boosters. Other companies, like Pfizer-BioNTech and Novavax, are also working on combined vaccines, but Moderna is the first to publish advanced phase data.
Beyond convenience, Moderna's early data suggest that the new vaccine could offer more effective protection. This vaccine combines mRNA molecules that prompt cells to produce proteins specific to the flu and SARS-CoV-2 viruses, based on the technology that enabled the development of the first COVID-19 vaccines.
The clinical trial involves approximately 8,000 adults divided into two age groups (50-64 years and 65 and older). In both groups, the vaccine generated a superior immune response against multiple flu virus subtypes and the omicron XBB.1.5 variant of SARS-CoV-2. The most common side effects were pain at the injection site, fatigue, and muscle aches.
This season, flu vaccination rates were much higher than those for COVID-19. Some experts hope that combined vaccines could improve these rates by simplifying the vaccination process. Moderna is currently working with regulators to approve this vaccine for adults, with no mention of imminent testing for younger groups.