<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A newly developed mRNA-based flu </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/vaccine" rel="" target="" title="vaccine"><span>vaccine</span></a><span> is almost 35 per cent more effective against the most common form of </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/influenza" rel="" target="" title="influenza"><span>influenza</span></a><span>, according to a new study.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The phase three trial, whose results were published this morning in the </span><em><span>New England Journal of Medicine</span></em><span>, involved more than 18,000 people aged between 18 and 64.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Half of the participants were given a standard flu vaccine, while the other half received the new mRNA option developed by Pfizer.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/super-consumers-australia-report-retirees-missing-out-on-200000-dollars/808645ea-e045-45d3-a57f-d116a629c8d3"><strong><span>Single mistake costing some Aussies $205,000: report</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The study found that the latter was 34.5 per cent more effective at protecting people against influenza A.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The mRNA vaccine performed better than conventional flu vaccines," Professor Archa Fox from the University of Western Australia, who wasn't involved in the study, said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Only 0.63 per cent of people injected with the mRNA flu vaccine came down with the flu, compared to 0.95 per cent of people injected with the conventional flu vaccine."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/health/mrna-flu-vaccine-pfizer-trial-results/d7d0ba8e-9ed8-4035-95cc-882f99d38a78" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The results are similar to a trial of another mRNA flu vaccine developed by Moderna, which showed a 26.6 per cent effectiveness increase compared to a standard vaccine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, there weren't enough cases of influenza B in today's study to determine the Pfizer vaccine's effectiveness against that type of virus, and the mRNA jab was also linked to a higher rate of mild to moderate side effects.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/new-nsw-puppy-laws-2025-breeder-identification-numbers-litter-limits-selling-rules-everything-to-know-explained/718be85f-f47b-48ec-8fa3-c80d184462c9"><strong><span>The $110,000 fine you could face if your dog has puppies</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Lab tests suggested that the new vaccine may not be as effective against B strains," Associate Professor Seth Cheetham from the University of Queensland said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The mRNA vaccine was safe, but an elevated rate of side effects, such as headache and injection site pain, was detected compared to traditional vaccines."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The level of severe side effects, though, was similarly low for both vaccines.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, the phase three trial showed another limitation of the Pfizer vaccine: a lack of benefit for vulnerable elderly patients.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Most crucially, it showed no significant benefit for adults over 65, the group most at risk from severe flu, highlighting that this is a promising step forward but not a complete solution for all," molecular virologist Vinod Balasubramaniam said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Vaccination rates against flu have dropped significantly in recent years in Australia, despite a surge in the number of cases of the potentially deadly illness.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/social-media-use-soars-children-drop-sports-reading-the-arts/ff7576ba-3c3c-4f18-a1b3-85755602dad0"><strong><span>Social media use soars as kids drop sports, reading, music</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Experts are hoping the development of mRNA vaccines, using similar technology to what was behind the successful COVID-19 vaccines, could lead to better protection against the virus.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Manufacturing mRNA vaccines is significantly faster than traditional methods, which rely on growing the virus in eggs or cells, a process that can take six months or more," Dr Emma Grant from La Trobe University said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Faster production means vaccine strains can be selected closer to the flu season, reducing the risk of mismatch with circulating viruses.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Moreover, as demonstrated with COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA technology can activate multiple arms of the immune system, including long-lived killer T cells that recognise multiple different influenza strains… </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This capability moves us closer to the long-sought goal of a 'universal' influenza vaccine, one that provides broader and longer-lasting protection."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a 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