<p>US biotech company Moderna announced on Wednesday that it has begun clinical trials of a booster dose of vaccine designed specifically to combat the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.</p>.<p>The trials will involve a total of 600 adults – half of whom have already received two doses of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine at least six months ago, and half of whom have received two doses plus the previously authorized booster dose.</p>.<p>The booster specifically targeting Omicron will therefore be evaluated as both a third and a fourth dose.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/pfizer-biontech-begin-omicron-vaccine-trial-1074579.html" target="_blank">Pfizer-BioNTech begin Omicron vaccine trial</a></strong></p>.<p>The company also reported results on the efficacy against Omicron of the booster that has already been authorized.</p>.<p>It said that six months after the booster injection, the levels of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron were reduced by six times from the peak observed 29 days after the injection -- but remained detectable in all participants.</p>.<p>These data were obtained by studying the blood of 20 people who received the 50 microgram booster, half the amount of the first two injections.</p>.<p>"We are reassured by the antibody persistence against Omicron at six months after the currently authorized" booster, Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said in the statement.</p>.<p>"Nonetheless, given the long-term threat demonstrated by Omicron's immune escape, we are advancing our Omicron-specific variant vaccine booster candidate and we are pleased to begin this part of our Phase 2 study," Bancel continued.</p>.<p>Moderna's statement came the day after rivals Pfizer and BioNTech said they had begun enrollment for a clinical trial for an Omicron-specific vaccine.</p>.<p>Both vaccines are based on messenger RNA technology, which makes it relatively easy to update them to keep up with mutations specific to new variants.</p>.<p>Several countries, including the United States, have begun to see a decline in cases associated with the infection wave caused by Omicron, the most transmissible variant detected so far, but the number of infections worldwide continues to rise.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>
<p>US biotech company Moderna announced on Wednesday that it has begun clinical trials of a booster dose of vaccine designed specifically to combat the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.</p>.<p>The trials will involve a total of 600 adults – half of whom have already received two doses of Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine at least six months ago, and half of whom have received two doses plus the previously authorized booster dose.</p>.<p>The booster specifically targeting Omicron will therefore be evaluated as both a third and a fourth dose.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/pfizer-biontech-begin-omicron-vaccine-trial-1074579.html" target="_blank">Pfizer-BioNTech begin Omicron vaccine trial</a></strong></p>.<p>The company also reported results on the efficacy against Omicron of the booster that has already been authorized.</p>.<p>It said that six months after the booster injection, the levels of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron were reduced by six times from the peak observed 29 days after the injection -- but remained detectable in all participants.</p>.<p>These data were obtained by studying the blood of 20 people who received the 50 microgram booster, half the amount of the first two injections.</p>.<p>"We are reassured by the antibody persistence against Omicron at six months after the currently authorized" booster, Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said in the statement.</p>.<p>"Nonetheless, given the long-term threat demonstrated by Omicron's immune escape, we are advancing our Omicron-specific variant vaccine booster candidate and we are pleased to begin this part of our Phase 2 study," Bancel continued.</p>.<p>Moderna's statement came the day after rivals Pfizer and BioNTech said they had begun enrollment for a clinical trial for an Omicron-specific vaccine.</p>.<p>Both vaccines are based on messenger RNA technology, which makes it relatively easy to update them to keep up with mutations specific to new variants.</p>.<p>Several countries, including the United States, have begun to see a decline in cases associated with the infection wave caused by Omicron, the most transmissible variant detected so far, but the number of infections worldwide continues to rise.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest DH videos here</strong></p>