Moderna's Updated COVID Vaccine Effective Against 'Eris' Variant, Boosts Antibodies

Moderna has announced that initial study data shows its updated COVID-19 vaccine to be effective against the "Eris" and "Fornax" subvariants in humans. Pending approval from health regulators, the updated shot is expected to be available in the coming weeks for the fall vaccination season. Pfizer has also reported that its updated COVID-19 shot, developed with BioNTech, showed neutralizing activity against the Eris subvariant in a study conducted on mice. The Eris subvariant, similar to the XBB.1.5 subvariant, accounted for over 17% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the U.S. have increased by more than 40% from June, but remain over 90% below peak levels during the Omicron outbreak in January 2022.