A candidate vaccine for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) that is developed by US biotech firm Moderna appears to generate an immune response similar to the response seen in people who have been infected by the virus and recovered, the company said Monday.
The vaccine, mRNA-1273, 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, the company said.
“In a Phase 1 trial, eight patients who received two doses of the vaccine at the lowest and middle doses tested — 25 and 100 micrograms — developed neutralizing antibodies to the virus at levels similar to people who had recovered from infection,” the company stated.
The vaccine “was generally safe and well tolerated.” Moderna is developing the vaccine in conjunction with the NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center and the US government has invested a half billion dollars in the development of Moderna’s vaccine candidate.
“The neutralizing antibody and safety results from the Phase 1 clinical study are promising for the Moderna mRNA vaccine candidate and supportive to proceed forward with the planned Phase 2 studies”
Phase 2 tests, with a larger number of subjects, has already been given the go-ahead by the Food and Drug Administration, and according to Moderna followed by aa phase 3 trial which is the last and most important to validate the efficacy of a vaccine which will begin in July.
“We are investing to scale up manufacturing so we can maximize the number of doses we can produce to help protect as many people as we can from SARS-CoV-2,” CEO Stéphane Bancel said, referring to the virus that causes Covid-19.
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