‘Strong Response’ in New Moderna Covid Vaccine

Moderna says its updated Covid-19 vaccine, which is awaiting FDA approval, generated a strong immune response against the BA.2.86 (Pirola) variant that the Centers for Disease Control has said might be more likely to break through existing immunity from previous vaccinations because it has over 30 mutations. A company statement says the updated vaccine generated an 8.7-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies against the BA.2.86 variant.

Meanwhile, NBC News says it has learned from four sources that FDA could approve updated Covid-19 vaccines as early as Friday. The updated vaccines target the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant. The report says that although this strain is no longer dominant, the boosters should protect against closely related subvariants that are currently circulating.

Two of NBC’s four sources indicated the agency is considering granting the new vaccines full approval rather than an emergency use authorization.