Compared to the company's original two-shot vaccine results, Moderna found a "superior neutralizing antibody response" in its booster bivalent candidate targeting the COVID-19 omicron strain.
In the phase 2/3 trial, 437 study participants had "well-tolerated" reactions to the booster candidate, mRNA-1273.214, according to a June 8 news release.
At a 97.5 percent confidence level, the treatment "increased neutralizing geometric mean titers against omicron approximately eightfold above baseline levels." The 50-microgram booster also had statistically significant results combating other variants of concern, including alpha, beta, gamma and delta, the release said.
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the company plans to have the booster candidate approved and distributed by late summer.