Moderna’s combined flu and Covid vaccine could cut down visits to your doctor as it proves to be just as effective as separate shots

Clinical trials found that an experimental combination vaccine for flu and Covid could be as effective as receiving two separate injections.

The vaccine, developed by pharmaceutical giant Moderna, has been tested in ongoing Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials in adults aged 50 to 79, the groups most vulnerable to both diseases.

Researchers found that it provoked “robust” immune responses and is safe, the company announced Wednesday.

The results come as fewer than one in five Americans have rolled up their sleeves to receive the updated Covid boosters, and two-thirds said they would not give them to their children.

Moderna will begin Phase 3 trials in adults over 50 later this year.

Less than a fifth of American adults plan to receive the updated Covid booster dose, and about two-thirds do not plan for their children to receive it. Moderna estimates that between 50 and 100 million Covid vaccine doses will be administered this year

Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said: “With today’s positive results from our combination flu and COVID-19 vaccine, we continue to expand our Phase 3 pipeline.

‘Influenza and COVID-19 represent a significant seasonal burden on people, providers, healthcare systems and economies. Combination vaccines offer an important opportunity to improve the experience for consumers and providers, increase compliance with public health recommendations, and add value to healthcare systems.

“We are excited to move the combination respiratory vaccines into Phase 3 of development and look forward to partnering with public health officials to address the significant seasonal threat these viruses pose to people.”

The ongoing trial compared the safety of the combination vaccine, called mRNA-1083, in adults ages 65 to 79 with that of the standard flu vaccine in adults ages 50 to 64. They also measured mRNA-1083 against the updated Covid booster in both groups. .

In the Phase 1/2 study, mRNA-1083 had antibody levels similar to or greater than those of both the flu vaccine and the updated Covid vaccine when administered separately.

The combination vaccine also had a similar safety profile to the Covid vaccine and included headaches, injection site pain, swelling and fatigue, and there were no additional safety concerns.

Moderna aims to have the combination vaccine approved by 2025.

This is not the first two-in-one vaccine in development. In December, Pfizer announced its own vaccine targeting the Omicron Covid variant and its variants, as well as four strains of influenza.

A company spokesperson previously told DailyMail.com there were no plans to develop this vaccine to replace the standard two-dose shot.

Annaliesa Anderson, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer of vaccine research and development, said mRNA technology was “well suited” to combat other viruses.

“Pfizer is deeply proud of our continued work to explore its potential to protect against influenza and Covid in a combination vaccine,” he said.

‘We believe this could simplify immunization practices against these two respiratory pathogens, potentially leading to better vaccine acceptance for both diseases.

“Even with existing seasonal flu vaccines, the burden of this virus is severe worldwide, causing thousands of deaths and hospitalizations each year.”

A combination vaccine may increase a person’s chances of receiving both a fly and Covid vaccine because it will eliminate multiple visits to the doctor or urgent care to receive both doses.

Less than a fifth of American adults plan to receive the updated Covid booster dose, and about two-thirds do not plan for their children to receive it. Moderna estimates that between 50 and 100 million Covid vaccines will be administered this year.

As of last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 83.6 million doses of flu vaccine have been distributed during the 2023-2024 flu season.