‘GAME CHANGER’: MODERNA SAYS ITS COVID-19 VACCINE OVER 94% EFFECTIVE

Mon 16 November 2020:

Moderna said preliminary phase three trial data shows its coronavirus vaccine is more than 94% effective in preventing Covid-19 — a result CEO Stephane Bancel called a “game changer.”

The company said its study for a successful vaccine enrolled more than 30,000 participants in the US, and its analysis included 95 participants from diverse communities with coronavirus cases.

Moderna said it plans to submit its vaccine for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) with the US’ Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks, and expects the EUA to be based on the final analysis of 151 cases and a media follow-up of more than two months.

“This is a pivotal moment in the development of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate,” CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.

Bancel said in an interview with CNBC. “As you know a lot of people have been reluctant in surveys to take a vaccine because I think we’re worried about the politicization of a vaccine, they’re worried about what you get with a flu shot you know 50% to 60% efficacy.”

With an efficacy rate of 95%, “that’s a game changer, I believe,” he said.

“Since early January, we have chased this virus with the intent to protect as many people around the world as possible. All along, we have known that each day matters,” the statement added.

Moderna’s vaccine has become the second candidate against COVID-19 with high efficacy rate claims.

Last week, US drugmaker Pfizer and German biotech firm BioNTech announced their coronavirus vaccine candidate was more than 90% effective, although there were concerns about its storage with regard to temperature.

Moderna said in a separate statement that it expects longer shelf life for its COVID-19 vaccine at refrigerated temperatures.

“COVID-19 vaccine candidate remains stable at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F), the temperature of a standard home or medical refrigerator, for 30 days,” it said in a separate statement.

By the end of the year, Moderna expects to have approximately 20 million doses of the vaccine ready to ship in the U.S., the company said. It said it remains on track to manufacture 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021.

The company already has supply agreements in North America, the Middle East and in other regions of the world. It announced in August that it had reached a deal with the U.S. government to supply 100 million doses of its vaccine. The deal gives the federal government the option to purchase up to 400 million additional doses. The U.S. had already invested $955 million in Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine development, bringing its total investment up to $2.48 billion, the company said at the time.

In August, Moderna said it was charging between $32 and $37 per dose for its vaccine for some customers, under cheaper “pandemic pricing.” The company said it was in discussion for larger volume agreements that will have a lower price.

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent