American drugmaker Moderna said it had begun the Phase three clinical trial of its Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine.

The drugmaker said it intends to administer the trial of the RSV vaccine in combination with the COVID-19 booster vaccine.

“RSV is one of the most widespread respiratory viruses, causing severe disease and hospitalization in older adults, and yet there is no vaccine available on the market.

“Our ultimate goal is to combine our RSV vaccine with our COVID-19 and flu boosters into a single-dose booster,” CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.

According to Moderna, RSV is a common respiratory virus that generally causes cold-like symptoms.

While most people who contract RSV recover in approximately one to two weeks, the virus can be serious for young children and older adults.

For these higher-risk groups, RSV is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness, including pneumonia and respiratory distress.

Bancel said Moderna’s RSV vaccine, based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) science, had the potential to protect against over one million infections globally each year, insulating especially those at high risk of becoming infected and reducing the burden on health care systems.

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“An mRNA vaccine against RSV could have a positive impact on individuals, communities, and global public health,” he said.

Moderna said the burden of illness caused by RSV was substantial, with an estimated three billion dollars in annual medical costs in the United States.

RSV causes approximately 177,000 U.S. hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths in adults aged 65 and older each year.