Coronavirus vaccine: What is the current status of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and everything you should know about it

As more and more countries record the biggest single-day spikes in COVID-19 cases, the world is still grappling with the increasing terror of the novel coronavirus. The total number of infections worldwide has reached almost 5 million, including 3,24,000 fatalities. In between the growing death toll and the rate at which the infection is spreading, the medical staff are working day and night and toiling on front lines of the pandemic.

Even though experts across the globe are working round the clock to develop a potential vaccine, it is important to note that the development of a vaccine is a long process that goes through several stages of clinical trials. When a vaccine is injected in the body, it trains the body’s immune system to fight a particular pathogen. As of now, there are over 100 potential vaccines worldwide in different stages of development and the results of the US-based Moderna Therapeutics has been promising.

The Massachusetts-based biotech company Modern Inc. is developing an RNA-based vaccine, which is being called mRNA-1273. The company has already successfully completed phase 1 trials of its vaccine candidate. It was given the go-ahead by the FDA to begin the phase 2 trial and is all set to conduct it on 600 healthy individuals. The vaccine is being developed in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

The vaccine candidate was also granted a ‘fast track’ designation by the FDA and the company is slated to begin phase 3 trials in the month of July, whose results may be available by the end of 2020.

A traditional vaccine usually takes years to develop as they work by training the body on what to expect when the pathogen actually attacks the body. This happens because the immune system of the body memorises the specific proteins of the virus present in the vaccine and attacks the pathogen in case it ever tries to infect the human cells. However, the preparation of this vaccine demands extreme caution while producing pure viral proteins when it comes to mass production.

The mRNA vaccines are hailed as the alternative approach to the traditional vaccines. The RNA-based vaccine work by carrying the molecular instructions to make the protein which is known as the mRNA sequence. This sequence instructs the human cells to build viral proteins to fight the virus. As a result, the body’s immune system gears up to fight the virus.

The vaccine candidate mRNA-1273 which is being developed by Moderna carries the mRNA strand of the spike protein of the novel coronavirus, which will then be used by the human cells to produce the antigen required to fight the virus, just by using the genetic information of a specific protein.

One of the biggest advantages of using RNA-based vaccines is its rapid manufacturing rate which can prove to be a game-changer, especially in the face of current COVID-19 pandemic. They are also usually safer to use as they do not carry weakened viruses in them.

As of now, Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine has become the first vaccine candidate to develop protective antibodies against the virus and stimulated the immune system to fight it. The findings come from a small early trial conducted in the month of March where 8 people out of the 45 subjects showed positive immune system response and developed protective antibodies against the virus. All the 8 people received 100 microgram dose of the vaccine and developed minor side effects including redness, chills and soreness where the injection was given. The symptoms were said to subside within a day.

According to Moderna Inc. webpage, for mRNA-1273, they were able to leverage their experience in vaccines to move rapidly on design and manufacture of material for the Phase 1 clinical trial. This included their broad understanding of the safety of their platform to date across more than 1,000 subjects.

Even though the vaccine candidate shows promising results, it is important to note that these are early results and only the first step in the development of an effective vaccine to fight the novel coronavirus. The approval of the vaccine will require broad testing and further approval for its safety and efficacy. It is stage 3 of the trial which is slated to begin in July which will be crucial in deciding whether the vaccine is effective or not.

Moderna Inc also filed a report on March 23, 2020, which stated, “While a commercially-available vaccine is not likely to be available for at least 12-18 months, Moderna reported it is possible that under emergency use, a vaccine could be available to some people, possibly including healthcare professionals, in the fall of 2020.”