Moderna's experimental coronavirus vaccine built immunity in monkeys and protected them from becoming infected, according to the results of a new trial study.
Monkeys that received two-doses of the vaccination were protected from infections in the lungs and nose, according to the Cambridge-based bio-tech company's website.
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When given the vaccine, mRNA-1273, the monkeys showed a "robust immune response and protection," against COVID-19, the firm said. The results of the study were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Meanwhile, the biotech firm has begun its late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial, which involves testing out the shots on 30,000 volunteers.
“Given the similarity between the protective immune response generated by mRNA-1273 in this study and the immune response seen in humans in the recently published Phase 1 clinical data for the vaccine, we remain cautiously optimistic that mRNA-1273 will be able to prevent COVID-19 disease and may also slow the spread of SARS-CoV-2 by shortening the duration of shedding," Moderna president Stephen Hoge said in a statement.
The company has said it remains on track to deliver between 500 million and 1 billion doses per year starting next year. The U.S. is aiming to deliver 300 million doses of a vaccine for COVID-19 by early 2021.
Coronavirus Vaccine Development
Pharmaceutical companies are racing to win regulatory approval for potential coronavirus vaccines before the end of the year.
