Trump administration signs $1.5 billion deal with Moderna for COVID-19 vaccine doses

Marking another investment under ‘Operation Warp Speed’, US President Donald Trump on Aug 11 announced a $1.5 billion contract with Moderna to secure 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. The latest deal brings total American investment into the company to $2.48 billion. American pharmaceutical brand Moderna is currently in its third phase of the trial for its vaccine candidate mRNA-1273.

"I'm pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with Moderna to manufacture and deliver 100 million doses of their coronavirus vaccine candidate. The federal government will own these vaccine doses, we're buying them," Trump said at a White Huse conference.

US, Moderna in deal for 100 million doses

Moderna’s vaccine is being developed in partnership with NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious disease, which is led by Dr Anthony Fauci. Though Fauci has reiterated that a vaccine wasn’t be possible before the next year, Trump has pitched for a successful drug before the November 3 Presidential Elections.

Read: COVID-19: Moderna, Pfizer To Include HIV+ Volunteers In Final Stage Of Vaccine Trials

Read: Study: Moderna's Vaccine Candidate Protects Mice From Coronavirus Infection

Testifying before US Congress recently, Dr Fauci said that a 75 per cent effective COVID-19 vaccine will do as chances of scientists creating 98 per cent effective vaccine are very slim. Dr Fauci while speaking at the Brown University School of Public Health said that even vaccines with the effectiveness of more than 50 per cent would be acceptable as there are very slim chances of scientists developing a vaccine with an effectiveness of more than 90 per cent. Dr Fauci said that one must never abandon the public health approach and should look at the vaccine as a tool that can bring the pandemic under control.

The United States Food And Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr Stephen Hahn had also said that the organisation will authorise the use of any vaccine that is at least 50 per cent effective. Dr Hahn on reportedly July 30 said that after a lot of discussion with experts that have decided to keep 50 per cent as a benchmark, of course hoping to achieve an accuracy of more than that but more than 50 per cent will also do. According to the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 50 per cent effective COVID-19 vaccine will be on par with influenza vaccines.  

Read: Fauci Says COVID-19 Vaccine With 98% Effectiveness Hard To Achieve

Read: Moderna’s Vaccine Shows Protection From COVID-19 In Monkey Study