Pfizer and BioNTech set to study single dose mRNA vaccine for flu and COVID-19

Pfizer and BioNTech announced on Thursday, November 3, that they had initiated a phase one study of a single-dose mRNA-based combination vaccine candidate for influenza (flu) and COVID-19.

Pfizer and BioNTech announced the “advancement of an mRNA-based combination vaccine candidate for influenza (flu) and COVID-19 to a Phase 1 trial with the aim to address two severe respiratory diseases with one vaccine,” in a statement on November 3.

“The first participant has been dosed in a Phase 1 trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of a nucleoside-modified RNA (modRNA)-based combination vaccine approach,” it said.

“The vaccine candidate combines Pfizer’s quadrivalent modRNA-based influenza vaccine candidate, qIRV (22/23), which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development, and Pfizer and BioNTech’s authorised Omicron-adapted bivalent COVID-19 BNT162b2 (Original/Omicron BA.4/BA.5) vaccine, each of which is based on BioNTech’s proprietary mRNA platform technology.”

Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D., Pfizer’s Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Vaccine Research and Development, said: “The flexibility and manufacturing speed of the mRNA technology has demonstrated that it is well-suited for other respiratory diseases.

“Pfizer is deeply proud of our continued work to explore its potential to protect against influenza and COVID-19 in one combination vaccine, which we think could simplify immunisation practices against these two respiratory pathogens, potentially leading to better vaccine uptake for both diseases.”

She added: “Even with existing seasonal influenza vaccines, the burden of this virus is severe across the world causing thousands of deaths and hospitalisations every year. This is an exciting step in our ongoing journey with BioNTech as we collectively look to transform the prevention of infectious diseases around the world.”

Prof. Ugur Sahin, M.D., CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech, said: “By combining both indications in one vaccine approach, we aim to provide individuals with an efficient way to receive immunisation against two severe respiratory diseases with evolving viruses that require vaccine adaptation.

“The data will also provide us with more insights on the potential of mRNA vaccines addressing more than one pathogen. This will help us to further develop our infectious disease pipeline to deliver on patient-centric vaccination approaches.”

More information can be found here.

Back in August, it was actually Moderna’s CEO who first mentioned a combined vaccine for both flu and Covid.

While comparing getting COVID boosters to buying a new iPhone each year, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel also said: “I think we can put in a single product something to take care of all those viruses.”

He added: “And that’s once a year and you should be able to get an annual booster, single dose, that protects against all those viruses, that, of course, are adapted to the strain of the season like flu, like Covid strains.”

Holding up his iPhone, the 50-year-old billionaire said: “The idea is a bit like the iPhone where are you know a lot of us buy a new iPhone every September and you get new apps and you get refreshed apps. And that’s exactly the same idea.

“You will get Covid, flu and RSV in your single dose and you’ll get what’s the best science of the moment to protect you for the strain circulating now and for winter so we can combine all those things and provide to people around the world and annual booster, so only one shot,” he said at the time.

Interestingly, on Friday, August 26, Moderna, a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, announced that they had launched a lawsuit against Pfizer and BioNTech for copyright infringement of the Covid vaccine.

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