The data from the early-stage human trial of Moderna's flu shot is promising, based on the same technology used in its successful COVID-19 vaccine.
The flu shot was found to be safe, and evoked high levels of antibodies in 180 people at all dosage levels, in both younger and older adults.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement that 3 million people died each year due to respiratory infections, and many more were hospitalized or become ill as a result of these viruses.
The side effects were mild and more often experienced by younger adults. The most common were headaches, muscle and joint aches, and tiredness.
The next stage of the trial, involving 500 people, began last month and aims to firm up the right dosage level and compare the Moderna flu vaccine to already-licensed shots developed using more traditional methods. The interim results are expected in early 2022.
The vaccine's efficacy will be assessed later in the trial.
Chicken eggs are used to grow most of the current flu vaccines.
The efficacy of the vaccine is 40 to 60 percent, and it takes six to nine months for the strains to be selected.
Moderna and other vaccine manufacturers are hoping that the use of messenger RNA technology can speed up the development and production of vaccines.
A more efficient method of vaccine delivery is the delivery of several mRNA molecules in the same shot.
The World Health Organization recommends that Moderna's experimental flu shot target four strains of flu: A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Yamagata and B/Victoria.
The company is developing a "pan-respiratory booster" to cover the COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus, a common virus that causes the cold but can be more serious for infants and elderly.
Agence France-Presse.
