The United States has approved its first flu vaccine that uses mRNA technology. The vaccine, called mFlusiva, was developed by Moderna, the same company that created one of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. It is expected to be available before the upcoming flu season for people aged 50 and older at selected pharmacies and drugstores.
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. In the United States, it causes thousands of deaths and leads to many hospital admissions each flu season. Health experts hope the new vaccine will provide better protection and help reduce the number of severe flu cases.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved mFlusiva after reviewing the results of a large clinical study involving about 40,000 participants. In the trial, some volunteers received the new mRNA vaccine, while others were given a traditional flu shot. The study found that people who received mFlusiva had 27% fewer cases of influenza than those who received the standard vaccine.
Traditional flu vaccines are usually 40% to 60% effective, depending on how well they match the flu virus strains circulating each season. Because the virus changes frequently, the vaccine is not always a perfect match, which can reduce its effectiveness.
Researchers believe mRNA technology may offer an important advantage. According to research published in the journal Nature Immunology, the new mRNA flu vaccine produced a stronger and longer-lasting immune response than traditional flu vaccines. This could help people stay protected for a longer period during the flu season.
Scientists say the approval of mFlusiva marks an important step in vaccine development. If the vaccine performs well in real-world use, it could change the way flu vaccines are made in the future and provide better protection against seasonal influenza for millions of people.