The combination vaccine developed by Moderna for Covid-19 and the flu has proven to be more effective than current vaccines in a late-stage trial.

• In a late-stage trial, Moderna reported that its combination vaccine targeting both Covid-19 and the flu was more effective than existing standalone shots for those viruses.
• The biotech company has released positive phase three data on a Covid and flu combination shot, giving it a potential lead over rivals Pfizer and Novavax.
• This summer, Moderna aims to submit a regulatory application for its combination vaccine in the US, with the goal of entering the market by 2025, according to CEO Stephane Bancel.

In a late-stage trial, the combination vaccine targeting both Covid-19 and the flu was found to be more effective than existing standalone shots for those viruses on Monday.

The biotech company has released positive phase three data on a Covid and flu combination shot, giving it a potential lead over rival vaccine makers.

This summer, Moderna aims to submit a regulatory application for its combination vaccine in the US, with the goal of entering the market by 2025, according to CEO Stephane Bancel.

Combination shots against respiratory viruses, as suggested by Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax, can simplify protection against these viruses that typically peak during the same time of year. This added convenience is crucial as fewer Americans are getting vaccinated against Covid.

Bancel stated that combination shots could ease the strain on pharmacists and the broader U.S. health-care system, which is facing a labor shortage and leaving many workers overwhelmed.

Moderna's mRNA-1083 combination shot contains both its seasonal influenza vaccine candidate and a newer version of its Covid shot, which have both shown positive results in separate phase three trials.

The ongoing late-stage trial on mRNA-1083 examined the combination shot in 8,000 patients.

The study compared the effectiveness of a combination shot with Fluzone HD and Spikevax in patients aged 65 and above, as well as Moderna's combination jab with Fluarix and Spikevax in participants between the ages of 50 and 64.

The combination vaccine from Moderna elicited "statistically significantly higher" immune responses against three influenza strains and the Covid omicron variant XBB.1.5 in both age groups.

The combination shot's safety and patients' ability to tolerate it were deemed acceptable by Moderna. The most frequent side effects were injection site pain, fatigue, muscle pain, and headache, with the majority of these effects being mild to moderate in severity.

Additionally, Moderna is working on a combination vaccine that protects against both the flu and RSV, as well as a vaccine that safeguards against all three respiratory viruses, including Covid, flu, and RSV.

Pfizer and BioNTech are currently conducting a late-stage trial on a vaccine that targets both Covid-19 and the flu, while Novavax is developing a combination for those viruses using protein-based technology for its Covid shot.