Moderna says Phase 2/3 trials of its COVID-19 vaccines for babies and young children shows the shots appear to be working.
In a press release Tuesday, the company said that the low-dose formulas — one for those aged six months to 2 years and another for those aged between 2 and 6 — showed a "robust neutralizing antibody response" along with "a favorable safety profile."
The company added that it would soon file for emergency use authorization with the Food and Drug Administration.
"Given the need for a vaccine against COVID-19 in infants and young children we are working with the U.S. FDA and regulators globally to submit these data as soon as possible," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.
At the moment, children younger than five are the only people in the U.S. who are not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, that represents 6% of the country's population.
Moderna's announcement comes as fellow drugmaker Pfizer struggles to get its COVID-19 vaccine for young children approved by regulators. In February, the FDA delayed an advisory committee meeting during which the panel was slated to discuss whether to approve the shots. While Pfizer's vaccine appears safe, data indicates it may not work well enough to meet FDA standards.
Pfizer's CEO told CBS News earlier this month that he expects the company's COVID-19 vaccine for kids younger than 5 to be approved by May.
