ST. LOUIS — The Washington University School of Medicine is looking for participants for a phase-2 study looking to develop a new booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine based on the omicron variant.
Dr. Rachel Presti, an associate professor of medicine and medical director of Washington University’s Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit, is the local site leader for the nationwide study. The study is looking for people 18 and older who have received the two-dose primary series of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and the current Moderna booster to participate in the study.
Participants will receive the investigational omicron booster and have their immune responses monitored through blood samples.
“We are evaluating the investigational booster now so that we can learn about the safety profile and how the body’s immune system responds if an omicron-specific booster is needed in the future,” Presti said in a press release.
She said they have also been working with Moderna on beta- and delta-specific boosters.
In an interview, Presti said the current booster dose of the vaccine has been proven to provide a high level of protection, but they are looking to improve that protection.
"Kind of like the fact that we get a new flu vaccine every year, do we need a better COVID vaccine every year?" she said. "So what they're really looking at is do you get a better immune response if you tailor it, or do you really get the same sort of bang for your buck just giving another booster of the original vaccine?"
Presti said it is still unclear right now if there will be a need for a new COVID-19 vaccine every year.
"The question sort of is, 'Can we make a new vaccine and is it helpful?'" Presti said. "So, we can make a new vaccine, and we might even be able to get a better immune response, but if the virus gets to a point where everybody has enough immunity to it that it's a cold virus, it's probably not worth it to get everyone vaccinated to prevent a couple days of a cold."
If you would like to volunteer, you can send an email to idcru@wustl.edu or call 314-454-0058.