With coronavirus cases around the world now at over 62 million, scientists have been working around the clock to develop a vaccine.
Now, Moderna has announced the results from its Phase 3 trial, which suggest its vaccine is 94.1% effective against Covid-19, and 100% effective against severe Covid-19.
Best of all, the vaccine was found to be effective across all age groups, genders and ethnicities.
Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, said: “This positive primary analysis confirms the ability of our vaccine to prevent COVID-19 disease with 94.1% efficacy and importantly, the ability to prevent severe COVID-19 disease.
"We believe that our vaccine will provide a new and powerful tool that may change the course of this pandemic and help prevent severe disease, hospitalizations and death."
The results come from Moderna's Phase 3 study, which enrolled more than 30,000 participants in the US.
They found that there were 196 cases of Covid-19 across the trial group - 185 of which were in those taking the placebo, and 11 of which were given the vaccine.
This points to an estimated vaccine efficacy of 94.1%.
The 196 Covid-19 cases included 33 older adults, and 42 participants identifying as being from diverse communities (including 29 Hispanic or Latin, 6 Black or African Americans, 4 Asian Americans and 3 multiracial participants).
Moderna has now filed for an emergency use authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Mr Bancel added: "We will file today for an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA and continue forging ahead with the rolling reviews that have already been initiated with several regulatory agencies around the globe.”
The findings indicate that Moderna's vaccine could be approved in December, according to Dr Gillies O'Bryan-Tear, Chair, Policy and Communications, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine.
He said: “Although we await the full details of these results in published form, we can now assume that this vaccine will be approved for use in December. Separately the UK authority the MHRA had announced that they are reviewing the data on an ongoing basis, and it’s likely that approval will also be granted within a fortnight, using emergency authorisation procedures.
“Moderna has announced the distributor, McKesson, and has made available 20 million doses in the US this year; the U.K. has secured 5 million doses, enough for 2.5 million people.
“Although the U.K. will not receive many doses of this vaccine, realistically it may be enough for 2020 since, separately, the government has announced it plans to vaccinate 1m people per week. Moreover, we are expecting similar announcements imminently from both Pfizer/BioNTech (from whom we have secured 50 million doses this year and next) and Oxford Astra Zeneca.
“As the vaccine programmes begin to roll out, attention will turn once again to operational issues, but the nation will breathe a sigh of collective relief as the numbers of people vaccinated rolls in.”
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