LONDON — The European Medicines Agency on Friday recommended authorizing Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 17, the first time the shot has been authorized for people under 18.

The EU drug regulator said research in more than 3,700 children ages 12 to 17 showed that the Moderna vaccine — already given the OK for adults across Europe — produced a comparable antibody response.

Until now, the vaccine made by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech has been the only option for children as young as 12 in North America and Europe.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently considering whether to extend the use of the Moderna vaccine to the same age group.