Moderna’s JN.1-adapted COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for use in adults and children aged six months and older.
The adaption follows recent guidance from the World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition, which recommended that vaccines for 2024/2025 should target the JN.1 family of Omicron subvariants.
Doses of Moderna’s updated vaccine will be available for eligible groups as part of the NHS autumn vaccination programme, and will also be available to purchase privately in the UK for the first time.
Darius Hughes, UK general manager of Moderna, said: “As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, COVID-19 continues to present a serious health risk. Updated vaccines targeting circulating strains play a vital role in helping to protect those most at risk from severe illness and hospitalisation, alleviating strain on the NHS.”
The MHRA’s decision comes just over a month after it approved four forms of Pfizer/BioNTech’s JN.1-adapted COVID-19 vaccine.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has already advised the UK government on eligible groups for this year’s autumn COVID-19 vaccination programme.
In line with previous spring and autumn campaigns, the committee recommended that vaccines be offered to those at high risk of serious disease, including adults aged 65 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and individuals aged six months to 64 years in clinical risk groups.
UK Health Security Agency surveillance data on last year’s autumn programme showed that those who received a vaccine were around 45% less likely to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19 from two weeks following vaccination compared to those who did not receive one.
Wei Shen Lim, chair of JCVI’s COVID-19 immunisation group, said: “The COVID-19 autumn programme will continue to focus on those at greatest risk of getting seriously ill. These people will benefit the most from a further vaccine dose.
“It is important that everyone who is eligible takes up the offer before we head into winter. The vaccines offered provide good protection against developing severe disease, such as being hospitalised with COVID-19.”