The first coronavirus vaccine by the biotech firm Moderna will be shipping the first batches to the US government in six weeks, so researchers will begin the immunization work and study.
Trials will begin on the anti-viral, but testing and further approvals will be as long as a year. In this period, all tests will be done to check on the anti-viral in controlled conditions.
Moderna (MRNA) on Monday said that the initial batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine (now COVID-19) called mRNA-1273, is now in route to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
A rise of 15% in company shares was recorded by the company, with its address in Boston where trading share went up on Tuesday.
Moderna reported that "the first vials of the experimental vaccine would be used in a planned Phase 1 study in the United States, which typically involves testing a vaccine on a small number of healthy humans."
Clinical trials will begin by the start of April, as the starting phase to check if the vaccine is safe and for use against the virus. NIAID Director Anthony Fauci stressed that it was needed to make sure it is safe for humans.
According to the Wall Street Journal that reported the development of the vaccine, a dual dose will be given to volunteers to check if the vaccine works against coronavirus. Fauci related to CNN that 45 volunteers are already in line to receive the anti-viral coronavirus vaccine.
Should the clinical trials be a success, more testing and regulatory approvals are still needed, and all the processes needs to be cleared.
With more than 80,000 infected worldwide, the clock is ticking, and everyone from health agencies and pharma companies are racing the clock as more deaths are added. The global effort to restrain the coronavirus is putting pressure to find a cure fast.
Director Anthony Fauci related to CNN that scientists and researchers can hasten the release of an anti-viral once phase 1 trials have good results just to stop the spread of the coronavirus. It will take time to create a suitable coronavirus vaccine that even working at an emergency speed wil still require at least a year or 18 months before it is approved for use, said Fauci.
Not only Moderna is racing to complete a successful coronavirus anti-viral medicine, other pharma giants are working on their version too.
One of these players is Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and GlaxoSmithKline (GLAXF) who are doing their research on anti-virus vaccines, including government researchers working at National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
Another vaccine made by Gilead (GILD) is remdesivir which has help minimize symptoms of positive patients. Gilead gained 5% in stocks as the World Health Organization confirmed some success with its use of remdesivir, but it is not yet final if it indeed works against coronavirus.
Moderna's anti-viral is in an experimental stage, manifesting that it is not proven yet. The development of the cure is fast and it was developed in 42 days by using the genetic information of the virus.
Further testing of Moderna's vaccine based on mRNA technology is still underway which will help determine if the coronavirus vaccine works.
