Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine variant begins clinical trial

• The first clinical trial testing a variant-specific COVID-19 vaccine was launched on Wednesday.
• The NIH-sponsored study will test an updated version of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine.
• It is designed to control the B.1.351 strain first identified in South Africa.
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The first clinical trial to test an updated version of a coronavirus vaccine began on Wednesday.

American researchers are testing a shot made by biotechnology from Massachusetts Moderna, designed to neutralize a worrying variant of the new coronavirus. The research is the latest escalation in society’s battle against variants of the virus. Experts fear that specific mutations in the spike protein of the virus, the target of coronavirus vaccines, may partially reduce the protection offered by vaccines.

Of particular concern was the variant first identified in South Africa, called variant B.1.351. Data from tests performed in Petri dishes revealed that this version of the virus caused a significant decrease in neutralizing antibodies, the virus-fighting proteins generated by the vaccine. While the major vaccines are still believed to help protect against this strain, virologists are concerned that the reduced immune response may result in shorter durability of protection.

In response, leading vaccine developers have started researching versions of their vaccines suitable for B.1.351. Moderna became the first to begin testing a variant-focused shot in humans, with that study being led by the US National Institutes of Health.

NIH researchers plan to enroll 210 healthy American adults in this study by the end of April in the Atlanta, Cincinnati, Seattle and Nashville, Tennessee areas. Sixty of those volunteers will be selected from a previous study of Moderna’s original COVID-19 plan.

The study will test a variety of dosage options, including different dosage strengths and the number of shots, either two or three.

NIH did not say when the results were expected, and Moderna did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the schedule. Jefferies biotech analyst Michael Yee said in a note to investors Tuesday that data for the variant-specific vaccine is “likely to arrive in the next few months.”