On Friday the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended that Moderna’s new combination vaccine mCombriax be approved for adults aged 50 and older. The decision means the European Commission will almost certainly release the mRNA‑based vaccine for the EU market shortly, the German magazine “Spiegel” reports. In Europe people could soon receive a single shot that protects against both influenza and COVID‑19.
Moderna chief Stéphane Bancel told a news magazine that the company expects EU approval within the next few months. If development goes smoothly, the vaccine might become available to selected groups in Germany for the 2026/27 flu season, which begins this fall. A wider market launch is planned for the 2027/28 season.
mCombriax would be the first vaccine that simultaneously protects against flu and COVID‑19. Both diseases primarily affect the respiratory tract, and up to 50 million people in Europe contract influenza each year, according to the EMA. While infections in healthy, younger individuals are often mild, older people and those with pre‑existing conditions can suffer severe illness and hospitalization. Thousands of deaths occur annually from these infections, and a co‑infection can lead to a “severe disease course”. The EMA notes that Moderna’s vaccine induces sufficient antibody levels against both viruses.
Moderna plans to offer the combination vaccine against three influenza strains and one coronavirus strain, adjusting its composition each year to match circulating viruses-just as current flu and COVID‑19 vaccines are updated. Combination vaccines have long been used for diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella, reducing the number of doctor visits and vaccination stress for patients.
Unlike many traditional vaccines that require production in chicken eggs, mRNA vaccines can be manufactured more quickly and adapted faster to new strains. They contain the genetic blueprint for specific components of a pathogen, triggering an immune response in the body against those targets.
