The company announced Wednesday that the first participant
had received a dose. Earlier this week, competitor Pfizer began a similar study
of its own reformulated shots.
It’s not clear whether global health authorities will order
a change to the vaccine recipe in the wake of the hugely contagious omicron
variant.
The original vaccines still offer good protection against
death and severe illness. Studies in the U.S. and elsewhere show a booster dose
strengthens that protection and improves the chances of avoiding even a milder
infection.
Moderna pointed to a small study published in the New
England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday that showed antibodies able to target
omicron persisted for six months after a booster dose, although the levels were
dropping.
Moderna’s new study will enroll about 600 people who already
have received either two doses of the company’s original shots or two plus a
booster dose. All the volunteers will receive a dose of the experimental omicron-matched
version. -AP
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