Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Genomics/Proteomics
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Orphan Drugs
  • R&D 100 Awards

Moderna and NIH assessing whether COVID-19 vaccine doses can be halved

By Brian Buntz | January 6, 2021

Moderna

Moderna Logo (PRNewsFoto/Moderna Therapeutics)

AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) inadvertently discovered halving the first dose of its COVID-19 vaccine could boost its efficacy.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) are examining vaccine data to determine whether they can halve the 100-microgram dose to vaccinate twice as many people.

Some data from Moderna’s clinical trial support that possibility, according to Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed.

“We know [a half dose] induces identical immune response” to the recommended dose in individuals aged 18 to 55, Slaoui said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Slaoui’s comment referenced a Phase 2 clinical trial designed to test for an immune response rather than vaccine efficacy.

To date, about 4.8 million Americans have received COVID-19 vaccines. States have received an additional 13 million doses, according to the CDC.

The U.S. had aimed to vaccinate 20 million people by the end of December.

U.S. researchers have long planned to test the effectiveness of lower vaccine doses, Dr. John Mascola, a director of the Vaccine Research Center within the NIH, told the New York Times.

Determining whether 50-microgram doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is equally effective to full doses will require further research and FDA support.

To date, FDA has disputed the idea in a statement, stressing that the notion of halving vaccine doses is “not rooted solidly in the available evidence.”

The agency does recommend further assessing different vaccine treatment schemes in clinical trials.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

Related Articles Read More >

Norway investigating deaths of 23 individuals who received COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 vaccine
What’s behind the severe allergic reactions from COVID-19 vaccines?
COVID-19 vaccine
Facial swelling and COVID-19 vaccines: 4 facts
Pfizer BioNTech
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine apparently effective against ‘UK strain’ 

DeviceTalks Tuesdays

DeviceTalks Tuesdays

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.

Need Drug Discovery news in a minute?

We Deliver!
Drug Discovery & Development Enewsletters get you caught up on all the mission critical news you need. Sign up today.
Enews Signup

R&D Twitter

Tweets by @RandDWorld
Drug Discovery and Development
  • Enews Signup
  • Contact Us
  • R&D World
  • Pharmaceutical Processing
  • Drug Delivery Business News

Copyright © 2021 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Genomics/Proteomics
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Orphan Drugs
  • R&D 100 Awards