A healthcare worker holds a vial of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in New York, January 29, 2021.
Mike Segar | Reuters
Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective against Covid-19 and more than 95% effective against serious diseases up to six months after the second dose, the company said on Tuesday, citing updated data from its phase three clinical trial. .
The update brings Moderna one step closer to completing its vaccine for full U.S. approval. The new data includes cases up to April 9 and more than 900 cases of Covid-19 have been evaluated, including more than 100 serious cases. The vaccine is currently approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration for people 18 years and older. Moderna submitted only two months of follow-up safety data to the EUA. The FDA usually requires six months for full approval.
The company said its results are preliminary. Moderna said he will share updated data over the course of the year on the efficacy against asymptomatic infection as well as the persistence of antibodies.
The new data comes after a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that antibodies induced by the Moderna vaccine were still present six months after the second dose. This also comes after Pfizer said earlier this month that the vaccine, which uses technology similar to that of Moderna, is also very effective six months after the second dose.
Modern still evaluates the vaccine in children 17 years and younger.
The company said Tuesday its trial of teens between the ages of 12 and 17 is now fully enrolled with about 3,000 participants in the US
It is said that the trial of the shot on children from 6 months to 11 years is currently enrolling. 6,750 healthy pediatric participants are expected to enroll in the U.S. and Canada. Like the Pfizer study, children will receive a low dose of the vaccine before gradually moving on to higher doses.