1 of 2 | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration headquarters is shown in Silver Spring, Md. The FDA has approved a new flu vaccine for adults over 50 that uses mRNA technology. File photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE
Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new mRNA-based seasonal flu vaccine for people 50 and older, Moderna said.
The vaccine, called mFLUSIVA, is the first in the United States to use mRNA technology against the flu and be approved by the FDA.
"Flu remains a significant public health challenge, and mFLUSIVA provides an important new option for America's seniors, Stephane Bancel, Moderna CEO, said in a statement Wednesday. "This approval also reflects the ongoing potential of our mRNA platform to help address important public health challenges through continued scientific innovation."
The new vaccine should be available this fall. A Moderna study during the 2024-25 flu season found it to be about 27% more effective than the standard flu vaccine. That study enrolled more than 40,000 people 50 and older.
