Pharmaceutical manufacturer Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) says its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective at protecting against the illness up to six months after a second dose is administered.
Moderna updated the effectiveness of its vaccine after concluding a phase-three clinical trial. The update brings Moderna a step closer to filing its request for full U.S. approval of its vaccine.
Currently, the company’s vaccine has been granted "Emergency Use Authorization" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Full approval requires a more rigorous review process to show that the vaccine is safe and effective for its intended use. Once it gets full approval, Moderna can begin marketing the vaccine directly to consumers and selling them to individuals and private companies in the United States.
The new data included COVID-19 cases through April 9 and evaluated over 900 cases, including more than 100 severe cases, Moderna said. The new data comes after a study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" showed antibodies induced by the Moderna vaccine were still present six months after the second dose.
Moderna is still evaluating its vaccine in people ages 17 and younger. The company said its trial testing the vaccine in adolescents ages 12 to 17 is now fully enrolled, with about 3,000 participants in the U.S.
