Moderna to Wind Down COVID Vaccine Production

Moderna will reduce the production of its COVID-19 vaccines, even as the world heads towards another potential jump in cases.

The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said Tuesday that it will slow production of the mRNA substance it uses for the vaccines. In a statement, the company said that it is going to “right-size its manufacturing footprint in line with the resizing of the COVID-19 vaccine market due to the move from a pandemic to an endemic market.”

Moderna will drop production at a site in Visp, Switzerland, overseen by third party company Lonza. It instead will make up any gaps in demand at a facility it owns in Massachusetts. It also hopes to expand capacity in Canada, Australia and the UK by 2025.

Demand for COVID-19 vaccines has plummeted, as the global public health emergency came to an end earlier this year, and between vaccine-induced and natural immunity from previous infection, many feel safe from the virus.

Some experts are even saying that the shots are no longer needed for all Americans, and instead should be targeted towards high risk groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised. However, official recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are for everyone over the age of 6 months to get the latest booster this fall. 

However, hospitalizations linked to the virus have continued to grow in recent months.

Pfizer, who has been Moderna’s main rival in the COVID vaccine market, also expects a downturn in demand. Company leadership said Monday that only 24% of the population may receive the shots approved for the fall season.

A new class of vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and then by the CDC earlier this month.