FDA Approves Moderna's mRNA Flu Vaccine, Marking a First
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine, named mFLUsa, making it the first mRNA-based influenza vaccine to receive regulatory clearance in the United States.
Messenger RNA vaccines work by instructing cells to produce proteins that trigger an immune response, a technology that proved effective during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approval marks an expansion of mRNA technology beyond coronavirus vaccines into another widespread infectious disease.
Flu remains a significant public health concern annually, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating thousands of hospitalizations and deaths each season in the U.S. Traditional flu vaccines are typically produced using egg-based methods, a process that takes several months. mRNA vaccines can potentially be developed more rapidly, which could improve the match between vaccines and circulating strains.
The approval represents a milestone for Moderna's pipeline of mRNA-based medicines and may pave the way for future flu vaccines utilizing this platform.