The estimate that it will take months to develop and make available a vaccine that will specifically target the mutated Omicron strain of the coronavirus was expressed by the CEO of Moderna, Stefan Bancel, speaking to CNBC.
However, the head of the American company added that a booster dose of more than 100 micrograms of its vaccine could be ready much earlier.
“A higher dose could be produced immediately, but it will take months for a (s.s. dose) specific to the Omicron mutation to be developed and available in huge quantities,” Bancell told Squawk Box. of CNBC.
Bancell noted that Moderna believes the mutated Omicron strain is highly contagious, adding that it will take at least two weeks to determine to what extent the mutations in this strain have affected the effectiveness of vaccines already on the market.
“Depending on how low it has been (its effectiveness), we may decide on the one hand to give a higher dose of the current vaccine worldwide to protect people, and possibly people at high risk, the immunocompromised. and the elderly need a fourth dose “, said the CEO of Moderna.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a technical paper released Sunday that the Omicron strain has more than 30 mutations in the spike protein that help the virus invade human cells. These mutations are associated with higher transmission and potentially reduced antibody protection, according to the document.
The mutated Omicron strain was first identified in the South African province of Gauteng, where Johannesburg is located. Bancell warned that the variant was already spreading worldwide, citing the example of flights that landed in Amsterdam from South Africa on Friday, in which 61 of the 624 passengers tested positive for the coronavirus. Of those, at least 13 passengers have been infected with the Omicron strain, with health authorities continuing to analyze the sample sequences, according to the Dutch National Institute of Public Health.
“We also believe that it is already present in most countries,” Banchel said. added Bancell.
Meanwhile, the new mutated coronavirus strain has already led several countries to impose travel restrictions. The United States has barred non-US citizens from traveling to South Africa and seven other countries in the region for the past 14 days, and both the United Kingdom and the European Union have imposed similar travel restrictions.
The share of Moderna Inc marks a “jump” of more than 7% in Monday’s trading, amid hopes for the rapid development of a new vaccine for this Omicron variant.
The company’s share rallied on Friday, recording gains of more than 2%, as the company announced that it would “immediately promote” a booster dose of vaccine.
On Sunday, Moderna’s medical director Paul Burton told the BBC that in the next two weeks he would be aware of the current vaccine’s ability to provide protection against the new variant.
“If we have to make a completely new vaccine, I think it will come in early 2022, before it really becomes available in large quantities,” he added.
.
Source From: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
