New study:Moderna effective against Delta variant

A new lab study shows that the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Moderna is reasonably effective against the growing Delta variant first identified in India. The study found that the vaccine was only slightly less effective against the newer strain than it is against the original Covid-19 virus.

The study tested blood serum from 8 subjects who had finished their second Moderna vaccine one week earlier. Moderna stated that the antibodies produced by their vaccine has been effective against all the prevalent variants of note so far, but not quite as powerfully as it is against the original Covid-19 virus.

The new report revealed that Moderna is significantly more effective against the Delta variant than it is against the Beta variant first seen in South Africa. The Beta variant now has 3 strains and in testing, the neutralizing antibodies in the Moderna vaccine are 6 to 8 times less effective battling the Beta strains compared to the original Covid-19.

Comparatively, the Delta and Kappa variants, both thought to have originated in India, are 2.1 to 3.2-fold more resistant to Moderna’s antibodies versus the original virus.

On the news, the Indian government approved Cipla Ltd, a drug-making company, to import the Moderna vaccine into India for limited usage. With the new study and new approval, Moderna stock saw a 5.5% jump in value in the mid-day trading stats.

Moderna’s chief executive declared that the new study reinforced the notion that Moderna continues to be a consistently effective vaccine in combatting Covid-19, even as new strains emerge, as so far, the vaccine remains reasonably effective against each new variant that arises and presents a new threat in the global pandemic.

It is worth noting, however, that the data from the new study regarding the Moderna vaccine’s effectiveness against the Delta variant of Covid-19 is still preliminary. The data was shared to the bioRxiv website as an early announcement and the study has not completed peer review yet.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World