Voice of London

Another biotech firm revealed encouraging results from phase three trials. 

The US-based Moderna joined Pfizer and BioNTech in announcing a successful phase three trial of its jab.

The company is planning to apply to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency-use authorisation.

The Moderna vaccine, however, is not expected to be available outside the US just yet.

The company claimed they would be able to supply 20m doses to the US before the end of this year and aiming to manufacture 500m to 1bn doses for next year for global shipment.

UK government spokesperson said the UK was in “advance discussions” to obtain the Moderna vaccine.

The firm’s CEO, Stéphane Bancel, said that the vaccine could be available in Europe, including the UK, “as early as January” if approved.

Moderna has also signed agreements with Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Qatar and Israel. Additionally, the European commission has a “potential purchase agreement” for 80m-160m doses.

However, the UK is not a participant in the EU vaccine purchase scheme, as Matt Hancock argued alone the government could get its hands on a vaccine faster.

The new vaccine is expected to be assessed by an FDA trial for more than two months.

If the results still show such positive results, Moderna can provide significant dominance over the Pfzier vaccine.

While the two vaccines are based on similar technology, the Moderna vaccine’s shelflife is much more stabile. As opposed to Pfizers’, that requires an extreme freezing between -70C and -80C, it can last 30 days between 2C and 8C.

The Moderna development is expected to be a two-shot vaccine, just like the Pfizer one.

More about the coronavirus and vaccines: 

• Anti-vacine movement
• Will students make it home for Christmas?
• PM to self-isolate

Words by Norbert Tarnoczi | Subbed by: Grace Staley