US vaccine maker Moderna Inc today said it is talks with several countries for supply of its experimental coronavirus vaccine. Moderna, whose covid vaccine is already in final trial, said that that it had already received about $400 million in deposits for potential supply.
Moderna’s vaccine candidate is one of the few to be in the final stages of testing as drugmakers race to develop a safe and effective covid vaccine. Last week, Moderna announced the start of a late-stage trial on 30,000 people to demonstrate that its vaccine was safe and effective.
The company, which ended the quarter with $3.1 billion in cash, cash equivalents and investments, said it was on track to complete enrollment in the study in September.
Moderna has said it plans to price its coronavirus vaccine in a way that ensures broad access. “As we pivot to a commercial stage company, we recognize the need for responsible pricing in the face of the pandemic,” Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.
Moderna has received nearly $1 billion from the US government under a plan to speed up covid vaccine development.
Giving an update on its final phase trial, Moderna said: “Phase 3 study of 30,000 volunteers in the U.S. being conducted with NIH and BARDA began on July 27, on track to complete enrollment in September, 2020”. (With Agency Inputs)