Moderna (Nasdaq:MRNA) announced today that it is suing Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and its COVID-19 vaccine partner BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) over patent infringement in U.S. and German courts. Cambridge, Massachusetts–based Moderna said it is in the process of filing the complaints in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and the Regional Court of Düsseldorf in Germany. The suits could…
FDA advisors unanimously back Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in young children
An FDA panel voted 21 to 0 to authorize the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years of age. Children under the age of 5 constitute the only age group that has not been eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. “I know there are a lot…
Moderna seeks authorization for COVID-19 vaccine in children as young as 6 months old
While a portion of the public is now eligible to receive a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA has not yet authorized a vaccine for children aged 6 months to 5 years old. Moderna (Nasdaq:MRNA) is vying to be the first. The company announced today that it is filing a request for emergency…
Moderna commences Phase 2 study of omicron-specific booster
Mere days after rivals Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech (NSDQ:BNTX) announced the launch of a study testing an omicron-based booster vaccine candidate, Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) has announced its own trial of an omicron-specific vaccine. The vaccine booster candidate, mRNA-1273.529, will be the subject of a Phase 2 study involving approximately 600 participants divided into two cohorts. The…
100-µg booster dose of Moderna’s vaccine increases antibody levels 83 times against Omicron
Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) is touting preliminary data suggesting that its COVID-19 vaccine booster led to robust antibody increases against the Omicron variant, both at the 50 µg and 100 µg dose levels. The 50 µg booster dose, which is currently authorized under emergency use authorization, led to a 37-fold increase compared to pre-boost levels 29 days…
Moderna to expand its Massachusetts manufacturing capabilities
Cambridge, Mass.–headquartered Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) will hire at least 155 new manufacturing employees for manufacturing jobs at its plant in Norwood, Mass. A $2.33 million tax incentive from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center helped bankroll the expansion. The investment will enable the company to double the size of its manufacturing site in Norwood, Mass., which became operational in 2018. With…
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine 100% effective in teens
Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) has joined Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) in announcing that its vaccine was 100% effective in a Phase 2/3 study involving adolescents. It will seek regulatory authorization to expand the use of its vaccine to adolescents as young as 12 in early June. In the TeenCOVE study, no participants who received two doses of the mRNA-1273…
39-year old Utah woman dies after getting second dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Researchers have not found causal links between COVID-19 vaccination and deaths, but a handful of post-vaccine deaths are making headlines. One such case is the death of Kassidi Kurrill, a 39-year-old resident of Ogden, Utah, who recently passed away four days after receiving the second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Before her death, Kurrill complained…
BREAKING: J&J’s Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine study results raise more alarms about new variants
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) announced results from its COVID-19 vaccine trial that show decreased effectiveness against new virus variants. The vaccine candidate from Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies was 66% effective overall in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 28 days after vaccination. But it proved less effective in South Africa, where a new variant of…
Moderna details ‘proactive’ strategy to fight emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants
While the so-called ‘U.K. variant’ of COVID-19 has triggered alarm, it may be a harbinger of things to come, as the novel coronavirus mutates across the world, complicating mass-vaccination efforts. Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) detailed its plans to combat the matter in a briefing with investors. While it expects two 100-µg doses of its mRNA-1273 vaccine to be…
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine may not respond as well against South African variant
Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) announced today that it will start a Phase 1 study in the U.S. of an emerging variant vaccine booster candidate against a new COVID-19 variant out of South Africa. The company will also test an additional booster of its present vaccine. The Cambridge, Mass.–based company said it has observed a sixfold reduction in neutralizing…
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine might cause facial swelling for people with dermal fillers
The majority of recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) have had mild side effects such as headache, fatigue and pain at the injection site. Temporary facial swelling may be another side effect for vaccine recipients who have had prior dermal fillers, which are not to be confused with Botox injections. Experts such as the American…