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As multiple Covid-19 vaccines enter final stage trials, the US is aiming to launch one by the end of this year.
US President Donald Trump at a press briefing on Monday was asked about how soon could a vaccine be launched for Americans; he said that the administration expects positive results by year-end.
“I heard very positive things, but by the end of the year, we think we’re in very good shape to be doing that. By the end of this year, we’re going to — in terms of the vaccine. I think in terms of therapeutics, even sooner than that,” he said.
The statement comes in light of multiple vaccine candidates moving into the final stages of trials. US pharmaceutical Moderna’s vaccine candidate mRNA-1273 launched its final trials on Monday, acording to the National Health Institution (NIH).
The vaccine candidate, co-developed by Cambridge, Massachusettes-based Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is expected to be tested on approximately 30,000 adult volunteers who do not have Covid-19.
“Results from early-stage clinical testing indicate the investigational mRNA-1273 vaccine is safe and immunogenic, supporting the initiation of Phase 3 clinical trial. This scientifically rigorous, randomised, placebo-controlled trial is designed to determine if the vaccine can prevent Covid-19 and for how long such protection may last,” said NIAID Director Anthony S Fauci.
Trials in final stages
He further said that a readout from the trial is could be expected by November or even earlier.
Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE on Monday also announced the start of late-stage trials for their vaccine candidate. They expect to enrol 30,000 participants for the trials starting in the US, and hope to include approximately 120 sites globally.
Pfizer is aiming for 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021 while Moderna aims to produce 500 million by the beginning of 2021, as per reports.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine candidate, developed in collaboration with Oxford University, is also in its final stages of trials across the globe.
The US has issued multiple deals, including a $483-million contract with Moderna, a $1.2-billion contract with AstraZeneca, a $465-million contract with Janssen, and a $1.95-billion agreement with Pfizer to secure vaccine doses, Trump said.
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