This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
Published on May 18, 2020, US biotech firm Moderna announced positive interim results in the first clinical tests of its vaccine against the new coronavirus.
The vaccine, mRNA-1273, was tested on 45 participants, with three groups of 15 patients receiving three different doses of the vaccine.
According to Moderna, the vaccine appeared to produce an immune response in eight people who received it, of the same magnitude as that observed in people convalescing from the virus.
Moderna's chief medical officer, Tal Zaks, stated, "These interim phase 1 data, while early, demonstrate that vaccination with mRNA-1273 elicits an immune response of the magnitude caused by natural infection."
The vaccine was generally safe and well tolerated, with separate tests performed on mice showing that the vaccine prevented the virus from replicating in their lungs.
Moderna's CEO, Stephane Bancel, added, "The Moderna team continues to focus on moving as fast as safely possible to start our pivotal Phase 3 study in July."
