Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine: 13,194 people enroll for phase 3 trials

American biotechnology company Moderna Inc has announced that as of August 21, 13,194 people have enrolled to participate in the COVE Phase 3 study of its COVID-19 vaccine, mRNA-1273. According to Moderna, the purpose of the study is to test the company's vaccine candidate that may prevent illness after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. "The study team is testing if the vaccine can help the immune system produce effective antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus so that, in case of infection, the virus does not cause illness," the company informed in a release. 

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Difference between normal vaccines and mRNA-1273

Moderna further informed that Black, Latinos, American Indian, and Alaska native participants make up 18 per cent of all participants so far enrolled for the Phase 3 study. For enrolling in the study, participants must be 18 years of age or above, they should be free from prior exposure to an investigational vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 and only healthy adults with no previous history of COVID-19 or pre-existing medical conditions. Moderna's mRNA-1273 is different from typical vaccines, which are usually made from a weakened virus. However, the mRNA-1273 is made from messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), a genetic code that helps the body’s immune system make antibodies to fight the virus by giving instructions to cells on how to make protein.

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According to Moderna, the company has more than 1,900 participants enrolled in its infectious disease vaccine clinical studies under health authorities in the United States, Europe, and Australia. The company has so far tested its vaccine on more than 300 people and no one has developed any side effects due to the drug. Moderna has signed billions of dollars worth of deals with various governments, including the United States to provide them with its COVID-19 vaccine if it shows positive results at the end of the ongoing clinical trials. 

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