Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) has released additional encouraging data for its COVID-19 vaccine showing that the vaccine is 94.1% effective in protecting against serious illness. Two weeks ago, when the company released the 30,000 human vaccine trial’s initial results, they had indicated that the vaccine had an efficacy of 94.5%.
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 94.1% effective
The company indicated that out of 196 participants identified, 185 were from the placebo group, and 11 in the vaccine cohort. The results from the study of Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine are consistent with those of Pfizer, which also released encouraging results about the potential of its vaccine to prevent severe COVID-19 cases. Equally, mRNA-1273 showed the potential for protection against severe COVID-19 and not just mild and asymptomatic cases. Interestingly all the 30 severe cases among the study participants were from the placebo group. These encouraging results mean there is a potential of averting hospitalizations and deaths once millions of people receive the vaccine.
Moderna President Dr. Stephen Hoge said that there were 30 cases of severe diseases in the last batch of the results without any cases in the people that received the vaccine. He said that it seems that in the study, the mRNA-1273 vaccine has been 100% effective in preventing severe disease. Severe COVID-19 cases have been driving the burden in hospitals and straining public healthcare systems.
Moderna to submit Emergency Use Authorization for mRNA-1273
Stephane Bancel, the company’s CEO, said that following the encouraging results and after analysis of side effects and vaccine safety, the company plans to submit an Emergency Use Authorization to the FDA. The request will permit the use of the vaccine in limited cases for individuals facing a high risk of exposure to the virus, such as healthcare workers. Bancel added that they are optimistic that the vaccine will offer a new and powerful tool that will change the pandemic’s course and also help in preventing severe COVID-19 hospitalization. The company expects to meet the FDA on December 17 to discuss the results.
