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COVID-19 Vaccines for Children

Emily Erbelding, M.D., M.P.H.

Director, Division of Microbiology and 

Infectious Diseases, NIAID

January 27, 2021

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US Effort in Trials for 

Special Populations

§ Goal: “SARS CoV2 vaccine for whole of US population”

§ USG will provide resources for vaccine trials in pregnant women and 

pediatrics

§ Company can elect to be the sponsor

§ Protocols must be approved by USG partners with NIAID, BARDA, engaged 

on protocol team

§ Protocol chairs will include NIAID-funded investigators

§ USG partners and company will jointly oversee operationalization of the 

studies

§ Joint oversight team (BARDA, NIAID, Company) will resolve conflicts

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Rationale for Pediatric SARS CoV2 

Vaccine Trials

• Pediatric burden of disease is significant

• Disproportionate burden among children in minority communities

• Indirect effects to the child and society (school, development, etc)

• Continued burden if we wait for natural “herd” effects

• Data suggests that vaccination prevents asymptomatic carriage, 

thus reversing pandemic more rapidly

• Safety data are best collected in clinical trials

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Updated table courtesy of Evan Anderson

Table 1. Numbers of hospitalizations and deaths for COVID-19 in comparison to varicella, 

rubella, hepatitis A, and rotavirus in pre-vaccine era* 

Virus Hospitalizations/year Deaths

COVID-19 19.4 per 100,000 age 0-4 yrs

11.4 per 100,000 age 5-17 yrs

Through 10/10/2020

185 children

Age ≤ 18 yrs

Through 12/16/2020

Varicella 4-13 per 100,000

Age < 20 yrs

Years 1988 – 1995

50 children per year 

Age< 15 yrs

Years 1970-1994

Rubella Not available 17 children per year 

All ages 

Years 1966 – 1968

Hepatitis A 107 hospitalized children

Age < 15 yrs

Year 2005

3 children per year 

Age < 20 yrs

Years 1990 – 1995

Rotavirus 55,000 - 70,000 children 

Age < 5 yrs

Years 1993 – 2002 

20 – 60 children per year

Age < 5 yrs

Years 1999 - 2007

Influenza 34-92 per 100,000 age 0– 4yrs

20-41 per 100,000 age 5–17yrs

for 2016 – 2020 season 

110-192 children per year 

Years 2016 – 2020 

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Shell Protocols developed by Pediatric and Maternal 

Working Groups, IDCRC, and shared with manufacturers

Confidential. ©2018 University of Maryland School of Medicine. 

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Vaccine clinical development: Children 

Platform/

Design

mRNA: encodes 

stabilized spike; lipid NP

mRNA: encodes 2Pstabilized spike; lipid NPReplication incompetent 

Ad26; stabilized spike

Replication incompetent 

ChAdOx1 chimp Ad; 

wild type spike

Dose/ Schedule 

Adults

IM 2 doses X 30 μg 

21 days apart

IM 2 doses 100 μg 

28 days apart

IM 1 dose at 5 x 1010 vp

(also testing 2 doses (0, 

56 days)

IM 2 doses at 5 × 1010 

vp, (0, 28 days)

Current Status EUA ages 16 and up EUA ages 18 and up Phase 3 adults Phase 3 adults

Adolescents Fully enrolled TeenCOVE Start 4-6wks after 

results from adult trials

Begin Early 2021

Younger 

Children

Planning early 2021 Planning early 2021 Planning early 2021 Planning early 2021

Comments Platform used widely in 

teens, infants, children 

Others supported by USG: Novavax (Ph3 enrolling), Sanofi

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Approaches to label indication for 

vaccination in age 12-17 yr old cohort

§ Expand age eligibility in adult efficacy trials 

(Pfizer/BioNTech)

§ Stand-alone trial for safety (Moderna TeenCOVE)

§ Expand age eligibility in Phase 2 trials for 

immunogenicity/safety

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TeenCOVE Study

. 

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Example: dose-ranging study 

in children, infants to <12 

years

§ Protocols in development

§ 3 age groups:

– 6 to <12 years

– 2 to < 6 years

– Infants to < 2 years

§ May relatively large N for 

safety if novel platform

§ May test multiple dose levels

– Full, half, and quarter doses 

considered by age group

Part 1 Open-Label Screening/Informed Consent/Randomization; smaller sample size for 

dose-finding and age de-escalation

6 to < 12 y.o. 2 to < 6 y.o. infants to < 2 y.o.

half dose

half dose

full dose

quarter dose

full dose

half dose

full dose

safety review

safety review

safety review

safety review

Interim Analysis

Interim Analysis

Interim Analysis

Part 2 Observer-Blind Screening/Informed Consent, Randomization; full study with 

thousands of participants

Arm: half or full dose 

Arm: placebo 

Primary Analysis

Arm: half or full dose 

Arm: placebo

Primary Analysis

Arm: quarter, half or full dose 

Arm: placebo

Primary Analysis

Final Analysis

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Thank You

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