Pharmaceutical company and Operation Warp Speed partner, Moderna, said Monday its COVID-19 vaccine was found over 94.5 percent effective in a major trial, giving another glimpse of hope a week after competitor Pfizer announced its own vaccine candidate had similar levels of efficacy.
“The trial has met the statistical criteria pre-specified in the study protocol for efficacy, with a vaccine efficacy of 94.5%. This study, known as the COVE study, enrolled more than 30,000 participants in the U.S,” the company said in a statement.
The results are “truly striking,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Health, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Both companies are now set to apply for emergency-use authorization with the Food and Drug Administration, as well as authorizations with global regulatory agencies.
The Pfizer vaccine was found to be about 90 percent effective, about 4.5 percent less effective than the Moderna vaccine, if the studies hold to be true. Moderna’s study concluded their vaccine has yet to reveal any negative side effects, and is considerably easier to store than Pfizer’s.
Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said the news is a pivotal moment in the development of their vaccine candidate.
“Since early January, we have chased this virus with the intent to protect as many people around the world as possible,” he said. “All along, we have known that each day matters. This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has given us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease.”