Adolfo García-Sastre
Director of the Institute for Global Health and Emerging Pathogens at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York
It is a very well done study, showing superiority of the mRNA vaccine versus the conventional vaccine, but with, perhaps not surprising, increased reactogenicity. It would have been better if it was compared side by side with the baculo HA vaccine, licensed in several countries, which is thought to be superior too to the conventional vaccine. It is also unclear how the vaccine compare to the enhanced conventional vaccines for the elderly, adjuvanted or high dose, in order to see whether it represents a clear advantage.
It is a great outcome for pandemic preparedness, as it suggests that H5 mRNA vaccines will work, having them more possibilities for getting quick vaccines in the case of an H5 pandemic.