Moderna has completed a submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking authorization for its updated COVID-19 vaccine targeting the XBB.1.5 subvariant. This comes after the FDA's recent advice to vaccine manufacturers to develop monovalent shots to target the XBB.1.5 subvariant.
Monovalent vaccines would be a departure from the most recent bivalent COVID boosters, which targeted both the original and Omicron strains of the virus. Moderna has reported that the preliminary clinical data for its XBB.1.5 monovalent vaccine demonstrates robust immune responses against XBB descendent lineage viruses.
Assuming approval from the FDA, Moderna's updated vaccine will be available in time for the fall vaccination effort. Pfizer/BioNTech and Novavax are already in the process of developing versions of their respective vaccines targeting the XBB.1.5 subvariant, as well as other circulating subvariants.
This announcement is good news for those who are seeking immunity against the newest iteration of the COVID-19 virus. The XBB.1.5 subvariant has been identified as one of the more prevalent mutations of the virus, and it is therefore important that vaccine manufacturers are taking steps to ensure that their products can target it directly.
It remains to be seen how effective these vaccines will be in the long term, particularly if new subvariants of the virus emerge. However, this is a positive step forward in the fight against COVID-19, and it is likely that other vaccine manufacturers will follow in Moderna's footsteps and update their products accordingly.