On 15 November 2020, an independent data and safety monitoring board announced that the investigational coronavirus vaccine (mRNA-1273) has an efficacy rate of 94.5%. It demonstrated safety, efficacy, and good tolerability to prevent symptomatic COVID-19 in adults.

This vaccine candidate was co-developed by Moderna and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and integrates the stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike immunogen (S-2P) produced by NIAID scientists with the Moderna’s mRNA (messenger RNA) delivery platform.

This Phase III randomized interim analysis (COVE trial) consisted of 95 symptomatic COVID-19 cases among the enrolled participants. Overall, 5 cases were found to occur in the group receiving vaccination and 90 cases were found to occur in the placebo group. About 11 cases of severe COVID-19 (11/95), all of which took place in the placebo group. The findings displayed statistical significance.

More than 30,000 volunteers at 100 research centres in the United States are taking part in this vaccine efficacy analysis. This trial was launched on 27 July 2020, after the findings from earlier stage clinical testing demonstrated that the investigational candidate is immunogenic and has good tolerability.  About 37% of trial participants are from ethnic and racial minorities. Thus, this vaccine appears to be a valuable therapeutic agent to combat the corona virus pandemic.