Moderna stock yo-yoed Monday after a new U.S. study suggested its omicron-specific booster might not be necessary.
Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases pitted Moderna's authorized booster shot against an omicron-specific booster in monkeys. The boosters were given nine months after the monkeys received Moderna's two-dose primary series.
Both boosters generated "comparable and significant increases in neutralizing antibody responses" against all variants of concerns, including omicron, the NIAID researchers found. The study hasn't yet been peer reviewed.
On today's stock market, Moderna stock fell 1.7% to 160.27. Shares of Pfizer, on the other hand, rose less than 1% to 53.26. BioNTech, Pfizer's Covid shot partner, saw shares fall 2.1% to 172.81.
Moderna Stock: Similar Antibody Levels
The news is promising for the Moderna booster shot's ability to contain the virus as it mutates. But it's less promising for Moderna's and Pfizer's efforts to develop omicron-specific shots. Both have begun human testing.
It's important to note that NIAID researchers didn't use experimental omicron boosters from Moderna or Pfizer in their test. Their study used an omicron-specific booster developed internally using the same messenger RNA technology.
Representatives of Moderna didn't immediately return a request for comment.
Pfizer spokeswoman Jerica Pitta says the company welcomes additional testing.
Pfizer "will share more data from our omicron-based vaccine study that started in late January as we have it available," she said in an email to Investor's Business Daily.
Sales Drop-Off Expected
Analysts expect this year to be the last year of massive sales growth for Moderna and Pfizer as the Covid pandemic enters an endemic phase. This year, Moderna stock analysts call for $21.5 billion in sales. Analysts following Pfizer expects sales to top $103 billion.
After that, Wall Street expects sales for both companies to drop. Analysts believe BioNTech sales already peaked at almost $20 billion last year. This year, they project almost $18 billion in sales.
One way to extend sales is to continue to develop variant-specific vaccines. U.S. officials still aren't sold on the idea, however — and Moderna stock has been under pressure. Late last year, White House advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci — who heads up the NIAID — said current boosters are strong enough to tackle omicron.
Follow Allison Gatlin on Twitter at @IBD_AGatlin.
