Publication date: May 28, 2025
Background: With continued high disease burden observed in vulnerable groups and fiscal responsibility shifting to Canada’s jurisdictions, assessing the economic value of COVID-19 vaccines is critical for optimizing COVID-19 prevention. This study estimated the public health impact and economically justifiable price (EJP) of Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1283) versus no vaccination in Canada, and relative to currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines (mRNA-1273; BNT-162b2). Methods: The target population included individuals aged >=65 years and 12-64 years at high-risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, consistent with 2025/2026 national guidelines. Analyses were conducted using a static decision-analytic model (1-year horizon) from a publicly funded healthcare payer perspective. Vaccine efficacy against infection and hospitalization for mRNA-1283 versus no 2024/2025 vaccination was based on mRNA-1283’s pivotal trial and mRNA-1273 real-world data. Clinical outcomes included symptomatic infections, hospitalizations, deaths, and number needed to vaccinate (NNV); economic outcomes included total costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), and EJP at a $50,000/QALY willingness-to-pay threshold. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Compared to no vaccine, annual vaccination with mRNA-1283 prevented 288,912 symptomatic infections (NNV=15), 11,710 hospitalizations (NNV=364), and 2,194 deaths (NNV=1,944). The EJP for mRNA-1283 was $325 ($230-$771 in scenario analyses). Semi-annual dosing for those >=65 years or >=80 years averted additional hospitalizations and deaths compared to annual vaccination. mRNA-1283 prevented an additional 2,873-3,689 hospitalizations and 537-690 deaths compared to currently authorized vaccines. EJPs for mRNA-1283 were $78 and $103 when compared to mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2, respectively. Interpretation: mRNA-1283 could reduce the COVID-19 clinical burden and provide economic value for the NACI-recommended population, exceeding current COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| August | Canada |
| Canada | Compared |
| Cottonwood | Covid |
| Economics | Deaths |
| Influenza | High |
| Hospitalizations | |
| Https | |
| Medrxiv | |
| Mrna | |
| Preprint | |
| Risk | |
| Vaccination | |
| Vaccine | |
| Vaccines | |
| Years |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | IDO | quality |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Coenzyme M |
| disease | IDO | immune response |
| disease | MESH | ‘Long COVID |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Factor IX Complex (Human) |
| disease | MESH | premature death |
| disease | IDO | infection incidence |
| disease | IDO | process |
| disease | MESH | uncertainty |
| disease | MESH | emergency |
| disease | MESH | death |
| disease | MESH | influenza |
| disease | MESH | Respiratory Diseases |
| disease | MESH | Infectious diseases |
| disease | MESH | Morbidity |
| disease | MESH | myocarditis |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Aspartame |