[Exclusive] Moderna's new vaccine, 6.3 times more effective than BA.5... when introduced?

<Anchor>

Modern NASA of the United States has revealed for the first time the details of a newly created coronavirus vaccine.

The vaccine has recently been shown to be effective against a new mutation that is spreading around the world and has been in effect for over six months.

The chief vaccine officer of Moderna was interviewed exclusively by Cho Dong-chan, a medical reporter.

<Reporter> This

is the original clinical trial file of the new vaccine for mutation released by Moderna.

The new vaccine is a bivalent mixture of 25 micrograms of the Wuhan virus in the early stages of Corona and 25 micrograms of the original Omicron BA.1.

When 800 people were given a fourth dose of the new vaccine, they were 6.3 times more protective against the now prevalent BA.5 mutation compared to the third dose.

The effect of the vaccine, which fell sharply in less than four months, is expected to continue for more than six months.

It was analyzed that the effect of mixing the two types of viruses was unexpectedly good.

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[Francesca Sedia/Modena Chief Respiratory Vaccines: Antibodies in the new vaccine last more than 6 months.

As the two viruses are mixed, the antibody response is greater and the antibody response is maintained for a longer period of time.]

The BA.5 neutralizing antibody was slightly higher in those who received the new vaccine than in those who were naturally infected after the third vaccination .

No result.

It was analyzed that the BA.2.75 mutation called Centaur would also have an effect.

[Francesca Sedia/Moderna Chief Respiratory Vaccine Officer: Moderna's own research suggests that the new vaccine will also work for BA.2.75.]

Those over 65 years of age did not significantly reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine compared to younger people.

The rate of side effects was similar to that of the existing vaccine, but about half of those who received it experienced mild headaches and fatigue.

Moderna plans to apply for a new vaccine in the UK, Europe, Australia and Korea within a few days.

[Francesca Sedia/Moderna, Chief Respiratory Vaccine Chief Executive Officer: We will proceed with the approval process to the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety within a few days.]

A Korean company has expressed its intention to cooperate so that it can conduct comparative clinical trials to develop a mutant vaccine.

[Francesca Sedia / Chief Executive Officer of Moderna Respiratory Vaccine: If a Korean company wants to, we can conduct comparative clinical trials with our product and it will not be a problem.]

Moderna is also developing other vaccines that mix BA.5 instead of BA.1, but said it could take longer than this one.

(Video coverage: Park Dae-young, Kim Seung-tae, Video editing: Lee So-young, CG: Uhm So-min)

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<Anchor>

If you have any questions, let's ask Dong-chan Cho, a medical reporter.

[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): I asked the question directly to the Senior Vice President of Moderna Medical School.

Listen.]

[Francesca Sedia/Moderna, Chief Respiratory Vaccine Officer: We must not forget that the existing vaccine significantly lowers the severity and mortality rate.]

[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): Healthy people Better to wait for a new vaccine.

However, if you are vulnerable to infection right away, it means that it is safe to get a fourth vaccination with the existing vaccine.]

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[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): Moderna predicted that the UK, Europe, and Australia could get approval as early as the end of August.

In the meantime, Korea has approved foreign vaccines after obtaining approval from Europe or the US, so it is likely to be after September at the earliest.]

[Cho Dong-chan / Medical reporter (specialist): Now, the new mutant bivalent vaccine is clinically tested by American companies Moderna and Pfizer, all of which are a mixture of half Wuhan virus and half BA.1.

But what's trending right now is the BA.5.

Since the United States is already making a new vaccine, we ordered an American vaccine company to make a mixture of half Wuhan virus and half BA.5.

But if we make a product now and conduct normal clinical trials, it will be too late.

So, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told Moderna that it would approve animal testing.

On the other hand, the World Health Organization is in a position that it will not approve a vaccine that has only been tested on animals, and instead, a mixture of half Wuhan virus and half BA.

Moderna, whom I met today, is an American company, but rather, the atmosphere was in favor of the World Health Organization's logic.

In order to quickly switch to a new mutant vaccine, the clinical trial period must be shortened, and normal clinical trials are inevitably delayed.

It seems that our quarantine authorities should carefully consider the results of future vaccine research and plan a strategy.]

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