Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) is touting preliminary data suggesting that its COVID-19 vaccine booster led to robust antibody increases against the Omicron variant, both at the 50 µg and 100 µg dose levels.
The 50 µg booster dose, which is currently authorized under emergency use authorization, led to a 37-fold increase compared to pre-boost levels 29 days post-boost. A 100 µg booster dose led to an 83-fold increase in the same time window.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center and Duke University Medical Center conducted the research on sera from 20 booster recipients for the mRNA-1273 vaccine at both 50 µg and 100 µg dose levels.
Two doses of the Moderna vaccine, however, did not offer robust protection against Omicron.
Moderna, like Pfizer, is also developing an Omicron-specific vaccine. Moderna’s is known as mRNA-1273.529.
Moderna anticipates to organize clinical trials for the Omicron-based vaccine in early 2022.
The company has an ongoing multivalent booster program based on a variety of variants of concern.
MRNA shares dipped 6.25% to $276.38.