Moderna CEO seeks FDA flexibility on 4th Covid shot eligibility.

• CEO Stephane Bancel of Moderna informed CNBC that the company aimed to give U.S. regulators "flexibility" in deciding eligibility for a fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose.
• The FDA received a request from the drugmaker to approve the extra dose for all American adults aged 18 and above.
• Bancel stated that younger adults with comorbidity factors may require a sooner fourth dose to protect them.

On Thursday, CEO Stephane Bancel informed CNBC that the drugmaker aimed to give U.S. regulators "flexibility" in deciding who is eligible for a fourth Covid vaccine dose.

Last week, Moderna submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for a second booster shot for all Americans aged 18 and above.

The biotech firm's request for a broader scope of its mRNA vaccine was significantly more extensive than the competing mRNA vaccine manufacturer, whose application for a fourth dose was limited to individuals aged 65 and above.

Bancel stated in an interview on "Squawk Box" that the company wanted to provide flexibility to regulators, including the FDA and those in other countries, in order to better protect younger adults with comorbidity factors who may require a sooner fourth dose.

Individuals with underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, chronic lung disease, and diabetes, are at a higher risk of developing severe illness from Covid.

Individuals with compromised immune systems are eligible for four doses of the Covid vaccine. Their recommended regimen involves three primary doses, followed by a booster given at least three months later.

Some experts suggest that the focus should be on increasing the uptake percentage of the initial booster shot among fully vaccinated people, as some doctors have questioned the necessity of four Covid shots for the general public in the near term.

Bancel stated that we submitted all the available data to the FDA in order to provide the best possible information for making the best possible decision.