Moderna Inc. said Wednesday that its experimental COVID-19 vaccine induces immune responses in the elderly similar to those of younger participants, providing hope that it will be effective in those most at risk of severe coronavirus headaches. Training
The company is one of the main contenders in the race to expand a vaccine against the virus that has killed more than 820,000 people worldwide. Its candidate, mRS-1273, is already in the expired phase of testing in humans that they test their ability to safely save you from infection.
The most recent knowledge of an initial Phase I study includes research from 20 other people detailing the functionality of the vaccine in the elderly.
Research focused on subjects who won the dose of one hundred micrograms tested in the much larger Phase III trial. Modern reported that immune responses in other people over 56 to 70, over 70 and 18 to 55 were similar.
Health officials have questioned whether candidate vaccines would work in older adults, whose immune systems do not respond as strongly to vaccines.
Moderna’s stock, whose price has more than tripled this year, rose about 6% after published knowledge.
The company has so far enrolled more than 13,000 participants in its complex study. Approximately 18% of all participants are black, Latino, Native American or Alaskan Indian, teams that have been affected by the pandemic and are underrepresented in clinical trials. .
Dr. Jacqueline Miller, director of Infectious Disease Development at Moderna, told a panel from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that the company plans to post weekly updates on the recruitment of subjects. Blacks and Latinos on their website.
Pfizer Inc told Reuters the week that 19% of the 11,000 subjects already enrolled in its vaccine test are black or Latino.
Miller said the demographic composition of Moderna’s essay is a common theme in meetings with U. S. officials leading the White House program to drive the progression of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, questioned Pfizer’s plans after the company said its vaccine should be stored at ultra-low temperatures for up to six months or in specially designed shipping boxes for up to 10 days. .
Once removed from the containers, the vaccine can be stored for up to one day at a temperature between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, approximately the temperature of a general refrigerator, or two hours at room temperature.
“The complexities of this vaccine management and storage plan will have a primary effect on our ability to administer the vaccine effectively,” messonnier said.
Pfizer told the CDC panel that it was working to solidify the vaccine at higher temperatures. Pfizer’s stock fell by about 1. 5%.
The Moderna vaccine will be kept at -20 degrees Celsius for long-term shipping and in a garage for up to six months, but can be stored at general cooling temperatures for up to 10 days. The vaccine will be distributed in vials of 10 doses without preservatives, the corporate said.
Modern is also working to solidify the vaccine at higher temperatures, Miller said.
Modern, which has never put a vaccine on the market, earned nearly $1 billion from the US government. As a component of its Operation Warp Speed program, it also signed a $1. 5 billion source agreement with the United States.