BRIEF—EMA evaluating COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna in young people

The European Medicines Agency has started evaluating an application to extend the use of the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna to include young people aged 12 to 17.

The vaccine from USA-based Moderna is currently authorized for use in people aged 18 and older, with the first European approval in January 2021.

It contains a molecule called messenger RNA (mRNA) with instructions for producing a protein known as the spike protein, which is naturally present in SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The vaccine works by preparing the body to defend itself against SARS-CoV-2.

The EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) will carry out an accelerated assessment of data submitted in the application, including results from a large ongoing clinical study involving adolescents from 12 to 17 years of age.