Moderna's Combo Flu and COVID Shot Shows Promise

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 8, 2025.

By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 8, 2025 — A new vaccine that combines flu and COVID-19 protection in one shot shows promising results, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it wants more data before it can be approved.

Moderna researchers reported that the combo shot produced a stronger immune response against COVID-19 and most flu strains than the individual vaccines already on the market.

The results were published May 7 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study focused on adults ages 50 and older and included 8,015 participants. Common side effects included pain at the injection site, fatigue and headaches, The Associated Press reported.

While the vaccine did create antibodies, which help the body fight disease, the FDA still wants proof that the shot also prevents people from getting sick or ending up in the hospital.

But Moderna said it now expects that approval of the shot may not come until 2026.

“I agree in this case with FDA that efficacy data are important to see,” Dr. Greg Poland, a vaccine expert at the Mayo Clinic, told AP.

The current findings are based on antibody levels in the blood 29 days after vaccination. While this shows short-term protection, it's not proof that people actually avoided getting sick.

The flu part of the shot uses mRNA technology, which is also used existing vaccines for COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In mRNA vaccines, a lab-created molecule is used to trigger an immune response to fight a virus.

mRNA has not yet been approved for flu shots, but Moderna is convinced it could speed vaccine production compared to older methods that use chicken eggs or giant vats of cells, AP reported.

Moderna also hopes that combining the shots will help improve vaccine rates. Poland, however, is not sure people will like the idea. He noted that flu is seasonal, while COVID spreads year-round, which makes timing the shot a bit more difficult.

Meanwhile, Moderna President Stephen Hoge told investors that talks with the FDA have been “business as usual,” despite public skepticism about mRNA vaccine safety from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Last week, Novavax announced that the FDA is requiring it to run a new trial of its protein-based COVID vaccine after the agency grants full approval, raising questions about future vaccine updates.

Sources

  • The Associated Press, May 7, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-05-09 06:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords