Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has launched an early-stage study of a combined COVID/influenza vaccine.
The company, which collaborates with BioNTech, said the first patient this week received a dose of the vaccine, which combines a flu shot and Pfizer’s bivalent Covid vaccine designed to target the Omicron variant.
The phase one study, which will take place in the United States, is recruiting 180 people between the ages of 18 and 64, who will be followed for six months.
The study will look at the safety of the combined jab, how effective it is and even if patients experience any side effects.
Annaliesa Anderson, chief scientist for vaccine research and development at Pfizer, said the vaccine was based on the mRNA technology used for Pfizer’s pandemic vaccine.
“The flexibility and manufacturing speed of the mRNA technology has demonstrated that it is well-suited for other respiratory diseases. 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,” she said, reported RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.