As we enter lockdown 4, we’ve come to the realization that the coronavirus is not going anywhere unless all of us are immunized. To that end, many manufacturers are conducting trials to create a potential vaccine for COVID-19.
According to NY Times, Massachusetts-based biotech company, Moderna, has confirmed that phase 1 of their experimental vaccine mRNA-1273 showed promising results in 8 people (aged 18-55). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the manufacturer a green signal to begin phase 2 of human trials with 600 people.
CNN reports that the company is working in collaboration with the US National Institutes of Health and could make the vaccine available to the public provided future tests go well.
The Indian Express quoted CEO Stephane Bancel saying, “This is a very good sign that we make an antibody that can stop the virus from replicating.”
While in phase 1, blood samples of the healthy volunteers were tested to check whether the vaccine helped generate antibodies, phase 3 will involve thousands of patients, essentially being the real test against the virus. This is expected to commence in July. Dr. Tal Zaks, Moderna’s chief medical officer believes that if all goes well, the vaccine would be available by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
We still have a long way to go, but the first step ending in success sure gives us hope.