Why the study?
With continued high COVID-19 burden in vulnerable groups and fiscal responsibility shifting to Canadian jurisdictions, assessing the economic value of COVID-19 vaccines was needed to optimize prevention.
Does the mRNA-1283 COVID-19 vaccine reduce clinical burden and provide economic value compared to no vaccination or current vaccines in high-risk individuals?
Does the mRNA-1283 COVID-19 vaccine reduce clinical burden and provide economic value compared to no vaccination or current vaccines in high-risk individuals?
The mRNA-1283 vaccine could substantially reduce the COVID-19 clinical burden and provide economic value for high-risk populations in Canada, exceeding the benefits of currently authorized mRNA vaccines.
May inform Canadian vaccine procurement; leaves open real-world confirmation of EJP versus existing options.
Background With continued high disease burden observed in vulnerable groups and fiscal responsibility shifting to Canada’s jurisdictions, assessing the economic value of COVID-19 vaccines is critical for optimizing COVID-19 prevention. This study estimated the public health impact and economically justifiable price (EJP) of Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1283) versus no vaccination in Canada, and relative to currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines (mRNA-1273; BNT-162b2). Methods The target population included individuals aged ≥65 years and 12-64 years at high-risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, consistent with 2025/2026 national guidelines. Analyses were conducted using a static decision-analytic model (1-year horizon) from a publicly funded healthcare payer perspective. Vaccine efficacy against infection and hospitalization for mRNA-1283 versus no 2024/2025 vaccination was based on mRNA-1283’s pivotal trial and mRNA-1273 real-world data. Clinical outcomes included symptomatic infections, hospitalizations, deaths, and number needed to vaccinate (NNV); economic outcomes included total costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), and EJP at a $50,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results Compared to no vaccine, annual vaccination with mRNA-1283 prevented 288,912 symptomatic infections (NNV=15), 11,710 hospitalizations (NNV=364), and 2,194 deaths (NNV=1,944). The EJP for mRNA-1283 was $325 ($230-$771 in scenario analyses). Semi-annual dosing for those ≥65 years or ≥80 years averted additional hospitalizations and deaths compared to annual vaccination. mRNA-1283 prevented an additional 2,873-3,689 hospitalizations and 537-690 deaths compared to currently authorized vaccines. EJPs for mRNA-1283 were $78 and $103 when compared to mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2, respectively. Interpretation mRNA-1283 could reduce the COVID-19 clinical burden and provide economic value for the NACI-recommended population, exceeding current COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
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Fust et al. (2025) studied this question.
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