Moderna Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) has told investors that its revised Covid vaccine appears effective against the BA.2.86 subvariant, a highly mutated form of the coronavirus.
Clinical trials revealed an 8.7-fold surge in neutralizing antibodies against this subvariant, which is closely monitored by global health agencies like the WHO and the CDC.
Jacqueline Miller, the company's head of infectious diseases, expressed optimism about the findings, suggesting they could offer reassurance to both the public and regulators.
The Centers for Disease Control has noted that BA.2.86 might pose a higher infection risk, even for those previously infected or vaccinated.
Moderna's updated vaccine, targeting the dominant variant XBB.1.5 of 2023, awaits FDA approval and might be available by October.
Other groups, including Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) and Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX), have also developed vaccines for the XBB.1.5 subvariant. The BA.2.86 variant has been identified in multiple countries, but experts believe it may not lead to a severe disease outbreak.
Moderna shares were up 19 cents at $109.55 in early trade.