Moderna Considers COVID-19 Vaccine Third Shot To Fight New Variants

Moderna is aiming to produce a booster shot by the time fall arrives, CEO Stephane Bancel has revealed.

“I want to make sure there are boost vaccines available in the fall so that we protect people as we go into the next fall and winter season in the U.S.,” said Bancel in an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

As concerns over new emerging variants continue to spread, the National Institute of Health has begun testing a variety of offerings made by Moderna since March. The tests aim to produce a third shot that could boost immunity protection from variants of the COVID-19, including the one discovered in South Africa or the B.1.351 variant.

Moderna is aiming to submit data of the trials to regulators within a few months, CNBC has learned.

“Our goal is to work really hard to get this ready before the fall,” Bancel said.

As of April 12, there have been 453 reported cases in the U.S. of the B.1.351 variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Research on these cases has also indicated that the variant has reduced the effectiveness of the existing COVID-19 vaccines, including that of Moderna.

With this, Bancel has expressed his theory that annual COVID-19 boosters will be needed from this point onward. The coronavirus, according to the Moderna CEO, “is not going away” and it’s “not leaving the planet.”

Bancel added that the company is anticipating new variants to arise within the next year or so, but vaccines will help stabilize the situation and slow down the spread of the virus.

“I anticipate in the next year or so, we’re going to see a lot of variants. But as more and more people get vaccinated or naturally infected, the pace of the variant is going to slow down and the virus is going to stabilize like you see with flu,” he said.

The pharmaceutical company is currently working on a two-in-one vaccine that could protect people from both the seasonal flu and COVID-19.

“What we’re trying to do at Moderna actually is to get a flu vaccine in the clinic this year and then combine our flu vaccine to our Covid vaccine so you only have to get one boost at your local CVS store ... every year that would protect you to the variant of concern against Covid and the seasonal flu strain,” Bancel said.