Shares of biotechnology company Moderna Inc. MRNA fell more than 6% in Wednesday’s regular trading session, but rebounded more than 1% in the extended session.
What Happened: The after-hours surge came as Moderna reported the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine against variants in an internal study.
The biotech company reported that a single booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine generated promising immune response against the B.1.351 and P.1 novel coronavirus variants first identified in South Africa and Brazil, respectively, citing initial data from a Phase 2 study.
The company noted that the single 50-microgram dose of its vaccine given as a booster to previously vaccinated individuals in the mid-stage trial increased neutralizing antibody responses against the original virus as well as the two variants of concern.
See Also: Moderna Inks Supply Pact Of 500M COVID-19 Vaccine Doses To COVAX Effort Starting Q4
Why It Matters: Moderna’s shares fell sharply in the regular trading session earlier after President Joe Biden's administration voiced support for a proposal to waive patent rights covering COVID-19 vaccines. The loss of patent protection could negatively impact the sales and profits of drugmakers such as Moderna.
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, which requires two doses to be given four weeks apart, received the FDA emergency use authorization in December last year.
Price Action: Moderna’s shares closed 6.2% lower in Wednesday’s regular trading session at $162.84, but added almost 1.1% in the after-hours session to $164.60.
Read Next: Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Expected To Get FDA Emergency Approval For Age Group 12-15 Next Week
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.