Moderna COVID-19 vaccine produces an immune system response against Coronavirus, enters the final stage

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine has produced antibodies that were capable to nullify the fatal coronavirus in all the patients who appeared in the vaccine trials, clearing an important milestone while the U.S. continues to grapple with the surge of new infections. The U.S. Biotech breakthrough is one of the most appreciable developments in the race of vaccine between various countries to find a treatment against the virus that has paralyzed the world’s economy. However, the road to success is filled with hurdles. Some patients in trials experienced severe side-effects.  

But the good news is that this vaccine is successful to produce antibodies, not just kind of, but neutralizing antibodies. The study was conducted by the National Institutes of Health on Tuesday, on a Group of 45 healthy volunteers aged 18 to 45 years. Groups were divided into three of 15 members each, receiving vaccine doses of low, medium, and high intensity. Though the Moderna data seems quite promising. However, the side effects were not alarming and were typically those experienced with other vaccines. 

More than half of the participants who got a medium intensity dose of the vaccine complained of fatigue, chills, headache, muscle pain, and pain at the site of injection. Some of them experienced a fever after a few hours of the second vaccination. Researchers found out that patients who received the COVID-19 vaccine can create more neutralizing antibodies as compared to the patients recovered from the vaccine. 14 patients were given the high-intensity dose of the vaccine, out of which three patients experienced severe side effects, but that does is not being used in large trials. 

What is the uncertainty over the Lifespan of Antibodies?

National Institute for Allergy and Infectious disease, said that “The hallmark of the vaccine is one that can mimic natural infection and induce the kind of response that you would get due to that infection.” The data looks quite good and has no serious adverse effects. Speaking of the side effects faced during the trials. It would unusual to not have any side effects for such a crucial virus. 

On the plus side,  Antibodies produced are really encouraging.

Maderna’s share gained about 16% in the US pre-market trading. The stock has tripled its value this year with the hope that the companies vaccine will give rapid improvement. The vaccine will soon move to another stage to check if its fit for commercial use. 

Although, the production of neutralizing antibodies doesn’t provide that vaccine is effective, but it can be considered as the side effects reported weren’t severe enough in the majority of patients to preclude the testing. 

The final-stage trial that set to begin on July 27 will compare the vaccine with placebo shots in 30,000 healthy people who have a high risk of coming down to coronavirus. 

William Haseltine, a former Harvard Medical Researcher, who chairs Access Health International, said that “Though it was seen that the levels of neutralizing antibodies produced are “respectable” and possibly protective. But the jury is out on the of the vaccine’s safety”

Unlike other vaccines, who weekend the infection or inactivated the virus, Maderna’s product uses the genetic material known as messenger RNA that causes the cell to produce coronavirus spike protein. Its main goal is to produce antibodies to the virus that will protect against the disease in case someone is later exposed to the coronavirus.