Moderna Inc.’s
MRNA,
investigational vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus is 84% effective against the lower respiratory tract illness linked with the virus, according to phase 3 research data published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The vaccine, which uses the mRNA technology also used in COVID shots, was studied in adults 60 years of age and older and resulted in no evident safety concerns, the research found. About 60,000 to 160,000 older adults in the U.S. are hospitalized annually due to RSV infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moderna is preparing for a 2024 marketing launch of the vaccine, the company said in a release Friday. That shot would contend with Pfizer Inc.’s
PFE,
RSV vaccine Abrysvo and GSK PLC’s
GSK,
Arexvy, which are already on the market. Moderna shares gained 1.9% premarket on Friday and are down 52% in the year to date, while the S&P 500
SPX,
is up 22.9%.
