Moderna said Wednesday that preliminary data show that its bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster gives a "superior antibody" response against the Omicron variant.
Driving the news: The bivalent booster candidate generated an eight-fold increase in immunization against Omicron, Moderna said.
- The bivalent booster, called mRNA-1273.214, "was generally well-tolerated," with side effects comparable to the current booster dose, per Moderna.
- The booster contains the original vaccine with an updated version that specifically targets the Omicron variant.
What they're saying: "Looking at these data alongside the durability we saw with our first bivalent booster candidate ... we anticipate more durable protection against variants of concern with mRNA-1273.214, making it our lead candidate for a fall 2022 booster," said Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel.
- "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," Bancel added.
Catch up quick: Moderna announced in April its plans to offer the bivalent booster in the fall.
- The company said the bivalent vaccine provided protection against the Delta and Omicron variants even though they were not specifically targeted.
Go deeper... Omicron is outrunning the vaccines designed to fight it
