Moderna's SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is effective among adolescents, NPR reports.
The company announced that its mRNA-based vaccine had an efficacy of 93 percent in preventing COVID-19 among 12- to 17-year-olds. Its trial included 3,732 adolescents, two-thirds of whom received the vaccine and one-third of whom received a placebo. Four cases of COVID-19 occurred in the placebo group and none in the vaccine group using the same disease criteria the company used for its adult trial and when a more stringent definition that encompasses milder disease, the vaccine had a 93 percent efficacy.
According to NPR, Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel says the company plans to submit its results to the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulators next month. The Verge notes that the Moderna vaccine is currently authorized for people over the age of 18.
Pfizer and BioNTech similarly reported in late March that their vaccine was effective in preventing COVID-19 among adolescents and the FDA granted them Emergency Use Authorization for that age group earlier this month.