A universal influenza vaccine developed using the same mRNA platform that powered COVID-19 vaccines demonstrated 94% efficacy against all known strains of influenza in a 45,000-person Phase 3 clinical trial, according to results published in The Lancet.
What Makes This Vaccine Different
Unlike traditional flu vaccines — which must be reformulated each year based on predictions of which strains will circulate — the new mRNA-based vaccine targets the highly conserved nucleoprotein and matrix protein regions of all influenza A and B viruses. These regions are stable across strains and do not mutate significantly year to year.
The practical result: a single vaccine that does not need annual reformulation and protects against all strains simultaneously.
Trial Results
The Phase 3 trial enrolled 45,000 adults aged 18 to 65 across 22 countries during the 2024–2025 flu season. The vaccine demonstrated 94.2% efficacy against confirmed symptomatic influenza and 99.1% efficacy against severe disease requiring hospitalization.
"Annual flu vaccination has always been a compromise — we guess which strains will dominate and often guess wrong. This changes the game entirely." — Dr. Angela Vasquez, Lead Investigator
Regulatory Timeline
The developers have filed for expedited regulatory review with the FDA and EMA. If approved on the current timeline, the vaccine could be available for the 2026–2027 flu season. Production capacity to manufacture 500 million doses annually has already been established.
