The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Moderna’s first mRNA vaccine against influenza, nearly six months after initially declining to review the company’s application for registration, AFP reports.
The new vaccine, mFLUSIVA, has been authorized for use in all adults aged 50 and older, the company said. Moderna expects the vaccine to become available in the United States during the 2026–2027 respiratory virus season.
In February, the company said federal regulators had found its clinical trials insufficient and declined to review the vaccine application. However, a week later, the FDA reversed its position following a meeting with Moderna representatives, which the company described as constructive.
mFLUSIVA uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, the same platform used to develop some COVID-19 vaccines. The technology significantly accelerated vaccine development during the pandemic.
The approval comes amid an ongoing debate in the United States over mRNA technology. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known critic of some vaccines, has previously opposed funding for a number of studies in this field.
At the same time, international medical organizations consider mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 to be safe and effective, noting that they significantly reduce the risk of severe disease.
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