OREANDA-NEWS. In early 2022, a clinical trial of a vaccine specific to the omicron strain for the coronavirus will begin. This was announced by Moderna's press office.

Until the specific vaccine goes into production, Moderna expects to control the omicron strain with booster vaccines. The company has already tested the effectiveness of revaccination against Omicron. According to the published results of the study, the number of antibodies increases tenfold after a booster shot.

"The currently approved mRNA-1273 vaccine booster of 50 micrograms increases levels of antibodies neutralising omicron by approximately 37 times their levels before the booster was injected,"- the report said.

The company is also testing a double-volume booster, where 100 micrograms of the drug are administered to a patient. Such an injection, according to the tests, at 29 days after injection increases the number of antibodies by 83 times. The company has not found any serious side-effects.

"The 100 µg booster dose of mRNA-1273 is generally safe and well tolerated. The frequency and nature of local adverse events seven days after revaccination were generally comparable to those after two doses of the primary vaccination,"- Moderna reported. However, adverse events were still more frequent with the double booster dose than with the routine revaccination, the researchers noted.