By – Devanshi Srivastava
According to a new research letter published Monday in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine generates more than twice the antibodies seen with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine generates more than twice the antibodies seen with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The researchers compared the number of antibodies generated against the coronavirus spike protein in the study’s participants. No measurements were taken of neutralizing antibodies or of whether the differences were linked to changes in vaccination effectiveness over time in the study.
In an interview with Bloomberg News, biostatistician David Benkeser, Ph.D., of Emory University, said, “I would advise caution in drawing the inference that since Moderna showed a somewhat greater peak on average, its effectiveness would be longer to fade.”
“To reach such a conclusion requires a number of assumptions that have not yet been tested,” he said.
The antibody levels of 1,647 employees from a large Belgian hospital system were measured in the research. Blood samples were collected about 6-10 weeks following immunization and examined by the researchers.
Individuals who received the Moderna vaccination had an average of 2,881 units per milliliter, whereas those who received the Pfizer vaccine had an average of 1,108 units per milliliter. The Moderna vaccine was given to people who had not previously been infected.
COVID-19 antibody levels were greater among those who had previously acquired the virus, with Moderna receivers having an average of 3,836 units per milliliter and Pfizer recipients having an average of 1,444 units per milliliter.
Those who had not previously been infected with COVID-19 and were vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine had greater antibodies than those who had been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine at all ages, with the greatest antibodies being seen in those aged 35 and younger, according to the findings.
According to the researchers, the discrepancies may be explained by the fact that the Moderna vaccine has a greater concentration of active components. The Moderna vaccine has 100 micrograms of the active components, while the Pfizer vaccine only contains 30 micrograms of the active ingredients.
According to the researchers, a small increase in the time between dosages may also result in variations in results. In the case of Moderna, the injections are taken four weeks apart, while in the case of Pfizer, the shots are administered three weeks apart.
According to Bloomberg, the research team is now investigating if varying antibody levels may result in improved vaccination effectiveness and longer protection, and if so, whether the Moderna vaccine may be preferable for immunocompromised individuals who do not react as well to immunizations.
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