Moderna launches advanced trial for pioneering dual flu and COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna disclosed that its dual vaccine for flu and COVID-19 has become the initial contender to reach the advanced trial phase.

The company reported last week that the trial, aiming to register roughly 8,000 individuals from the Northern Hemisphere, has commenced with the first subject receiving the vaccine. They intend to split the participants equally, with about 4,000 individuals aged 65 and above and the rest between the ages of 50 and 64.

The shot “has the potential to efficiently reduce the overall burden of acute viral respiratory diseases” by protecting against both COVID-19 and flu through a single injection, Moderna said in a press release. It “offers greater convenience and has the potential to lead to increased compliance with vaccine recommendations,” it added.

The vaccines will not be accessible for the current respiratory virus season, with Moderna aiming for regulatory clearance for the injection by 2025.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that it predicts this virus season will see a “moderate” wave of COVID-19 and a “typical” range of severity for flu.

Moderna recently reported encouraging results from its preliminary research on the combined vaccine, noting that it elicited an immune reaction that was comparable to or exceeded that induced by approved flu vaccines and Moderna's two-strain COVID-19 vaccine.

“Combination vaccines offer an important opportunity to improve consumer and provider experience, increase compliance with public health recommendations, and deliver value for healthcare systems,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement at the time. “We are excited to move combination respiratory vaccines into Phase 3 development and look forward to partnering with public health officials to address the significant seasonal threat posed to people by these viruses.”