Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 93% effective, ‘durable’ at 6 months, company says

Moderna has announced that its COVID-19 vaccine was 93% effective, with “durable” efficacy lasting at least 6 months after administration of the second dose.

The company also said that it tested three booster candidates, which showed “robust antibody responses to COVID-19 variants of concern.”

The data on the Moderna vaccine’s durability are from a final analysis of the phase 3 COVE study, according to a press release. The company said it has begun the rolling submission process for a Biologics License Application for its COVID-19 vaccine, and it anticipates completing the process sometime this month.

Regarding Moderna’s booster candidates — the emergency-use-authorized mRNA-1273 and the investigational mRNA-1273.351 and mRNA-1273.211 — the company said a phase 2 study investigating a 50 µg dose of each product revealed strong responses against the wildtype D614G COVID-19 strain and the gamma, beta and delta variants.

“Neutralizing antibody levels following the boost approached those observed after primary vaccination with two doses of 100 µg of mRNA-1273,” Moderna said in the press release. “These data have been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.”

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in the press release that he was “pleased” with the COVID-19 vaccine results and indicated the company will remain “vigilant” against the delta variant.

Several studies analyzing Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine response in children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years, as well as a “next-generation” COVID-19 vaccine, remain ongoing, the company said.