Bloomberg Pharma companies that were Covid heroes see mRNA flu shots as a solution for falling sales.
Brent Teichman was establishing himself as a promising young chef in Louisville, Kentucky, when he called his parents — a doctor and nurse — to tell them he was struggling to fight off a virus. They instructed him to visit urgent care. After returning home, he curled up in bed, fell asleep and took his last breath.
Teichman died in 2019 at age 29 from a flu that progressed into pneumonia, which suffocated him by filling his lungs with fluid. At the time of his death, he hadn’t gotten around to heeding his parents’ advice to get a flu shot.
Half a million people across the world die of the influenza virus each year in what pharmaceutical executives and researchers believe is a tragedy they can help prevent. Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and other companies are using the mRNA technology behind the Covid-19 vaccines to improve the flu shot. Though as that work has progressed, it’s become apparent the task is far more challenging and urgent than expected.
The first mRNA flu shots — designed to be better than the existing vaccines that can be as little as 10% effective — were supposed to be rolled out as soon as this year. But data released in February from a shot Moderna is testing proved underwhelming, and in April the company said it needs to keep studying the vaccine before it can declare victory, casting doubt on its timeline to reach the market. Rival Pfizer is still on track to release data later this year.
The heroes of the pandemic, vaccine makers need this. Last year, Pfizer and Moderna reported a combined $56 billion in Covid vaccine revenue. That number is expected to fall to $21 billion in 2023. People seem to have grown tired of visiting the clinic.