King’s to trial one of world’s first booster vaccines targeting multiple Covid variants

One of the world’s first Covid booster vaccines targeting multiple variants – including Omicron – will soon be trialled at King’s College Hospital.

The study, which launches at King’s on Tuesday, will see half of the volunteers given Moderna’s new multi-variant booster and the other half given the UK-approved Moderna booster jab.

The first part of the study – which launched in February and is being led by St George’s, University of London – examined the effectiveness of an Omicron-specific vaccine made by Moderna.

The second phase of the trial will now determine the effectiveness of a bivalent vaccine – one which targets multiple Covid variants, thanks to a partnership between US biotechnology company Moderna Inc and the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

While a third dose of Moderna’s standard vaccine – which is available in the UK – does increase antibodies against the Omicron variant, levels of protection have been found to decline six months after the booster was administered.

Dr James Galloway, consultant rheumatologist at King’s College Hospital, in Denmark Hill, Camberwell, will be working with teams across the King’s Clinical Research Facility and Pharmacy Unit to deliver the new vaccine.

He said: “Vaccines continue to remain a key part of the UK’s defence against Covid. Their ability to reduce the risk of serious illness and death has been observed since the start of the roll-out in December 2020.

“This trial is perfectly timed as increasing evidence shows that vaccines which are effective against multiple variants will be key to helping us to live with the virus.”

Professor Lucy Chappell, chief executive of the National Institute for Health Research, said: “The last two years have demonstrated the vital importance of international scientific collaboration, so it is truly exciting to see the NIHR and Moderna working with research teams across the UK on Moderna’s first major UK Covid vaccine study.

“With world-leading researchers, and the unique infrastructure and delivery expertise the NIHR provides, the UK is well-positioned to host exactly these sorts of significant, innovative projects in a post-pandemic world.”

Volunteers for the trial will need to have not tested positive for Covid since the beginning of November 2021, and should have had their last vaccine at least three months ago.

To find out if you are eligible to join the study, and register to participate, click here.