Moderna: presents strategy to combat 'Omicron'
(CercleFinance.com) - On Friday evening Moderna presented its strategy to combat the new "Omicron" variant of SARS-CoV-2, whose various mutations are likely to accelerate the decline of natural and vaccine-induced immunity.
The company is currently testing the ability of its vaccine to neutralise the Omicron variant, saying that data on this is due in the next few weeks.
The mutations of the Omicron variant are of concern and for several days we have been moving as quickly as possible to implement our strategy to combat this variant, Moderna said.
Furthermore, the laboratory states that, since the beginning of the year, it has been working on a global defence strategy in order to anticipate the rise of a new variant.
Thus, in the face of "Omicron", the laboratory is developing and seeking to perfect a line of defence at three levels: (i) adopting higher booster doses (100 µg instead of 50 µg); (ii) developing multivalent booster doses, i.e. designed to anticipate mutations such as those that have emerged in the Omicron variant. Two multivalent booster candidates are currently under investigation; (iii) develop an Omicron variant-specific booster.
The Company has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to move new candidates through clinical testing in 60 to 90 days, Moderna said.
After increasing by about a quarter over the past working week, the share is up almost 20% in pre-market trading today.
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