Moderna has announced that their approved COVID-19 booster vaccine and candidate boosters that focus on variants of concern are showing promising results in preliminary data. The vaccine boosters being investigated were delivered in the standard approved dosage of 50 micrograms and in a 100 microgram version.  

Data released comes from 120 participants, receiving the standard vaccine and two new versions in the same dosage amounts. The company reports that the standard booster creates a 37-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies against omicron. The higher dose results in antibody levels approximately 83-fold higher than pre-boost levels. The new versions produce equally high results at either dosage. 

“The dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant is concerning to all. However, these data showing that the currently authorized Moderna COVID-19 booster can boost neutralizing antibody levels 37-fold higher than pre-boost levels are reassuring,” Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said in a statement.

“To respond to this highly transmissible variant, Moderna will continue to rapidly advance an Omicron-specific booster candidate into clinical testing in case it becomes necessary in the future. We will also continue to generate and share data across our booster strategies with public health authorities to help them make evidence-based decisions on the best vaccination strategies against SARS-CoV-2.” 

The company continues to investigate the variant-specific boosters which are being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 2/3 trial of approximately 300-600 participants per arm. Moderna reports that 305 received the 100 microgram version of the booster and that was generally well tolerated. 

The Omicron variant is believed to pose a reinfection risk 5.4 times higher compared to the Delta variant, so vaccines and boosters are key weapons to fight it off.