06:37 AM EDT, 08/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with statement from Pfizer ( PFE ) in the third paragraph and stock moves in the last paragraph.)

The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved and granted emergency use authorization for updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna ( MRNA ) and Pfizer ( PFE ) .

The updated vaccines precisely focus on currently circulating variants and offer protection against serious effects of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death, the FDA said.

In a statement on Friday, Pfizer ( PFE ) and BioNTech (BNTX) said the FDA had approved their supplemental Biologics License Application for youth 12 years of age and older and granted emergency use authorization for children 6 months through 11 years old for vaccines in inoculating against the latest strains of Covid.

Shares of Moderna ( MRNA ) were up 1.39% in Thursday's premarket activity, while shares of Pfizer ( PFE ) and BioNTech were little changed.

Price: 82.30, Change: +1.26, Percent Change: +1.55