According to very early data released by the biotech company, the 1st coronavirus vaccine to be tested on people in the US appears to be safe and able to stimulate an immune response against the deadly coronavirus. The data comes from 8 people who took part in a 45 subject safety trial that started in the month of March. The Moderna vaccine is one of more than a hundred under development intended to protect against the coronavirus that has infected more than 4.7 million people across the globe and killed over 317,000. The study showed the coronavirus vaccine was safe and all study participants produced antibodies against the virus.
Those people who made antibodies were tested in human cells in the lab and were able to stop the virus from replicating. The levels of so-called neutralizing antibodies matched the levels found in patients who had recovered after contracting the Coronavirus. Moderna has said the 2nd phase involving 600 people will start soon, and a third phase to start in the month of July involving thousands of healthy people. The data offers a glimmer of hope for a vaccine among the most advanced in development.
Scientists are trying to understand what level of antibodies will ultimately prove protective against the coronavirus, and how long that protection will last.