Benzinga | Apr 14, 2021 09:13AM EDT

UK Trial On Mix-Match COVID-19 Vaccines Expanded To Add Moderna, Novavax Shots

* Researchers said that a U.K. study of using different Covid-19 vaccines in two-dose inoculations is now expanded to include vaccines made by Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) and Novavax Inc (NASDAQ: NVAX), Reuters reports.

* The trial, known as the Com-Cov study, was first launched in February this year to assess whether giving the first dose of one type of COVID-19 shot and the second dose of another elicits an immune response as good as using two doses of the same vaccine.

* The trial included first included AstraZeneca Plc (NASDAQ: AZN), and Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE), and BioNTech SE (NASDAQ: BNTX) COVID-19 vaccines.

* Prof. Matthew Snape, the Chief investigator on the trial, an Oxford University professor, said, "the idea is to explore whether the multiple COVID-19 vaccines that are available can be used more flexibly".

* Adults over 50 who have had the first dose of Pfizer or AstraZeneca will be randomly allocated to get either the same vaccine or the Moderna or Novavax vaccine for a second dose.

* The trial's six new arms will each involve 175 people, adding a further 1,050 1,050 volunteers who had already received one dose on the NHS in the past eight to 12 weeks.

* The initial mixing trial results, using AstraZeneca and Pfizer shots only, are expected as early as April or May, while the extended phase results are expected in July.

* Price Action: NVAX stock is up 1.22% at $197.03, and MRNA shares are trading 2.5% higher at $153.40 during the premarket session on the last check Wednesday.