Will Moderna Make a Fortune Off Its Coronavirus Vaccine?

Will Moderna Make a Fortune Off Its Coronavirus Vaccine?

The initial batch of the vaccine has already been shipped to U.S. health authorities, with initial phase 1 trials expected to begin soon.. Unlike other vaccine developers that use DNA-based treatments, Moderna is known as one of the only companies working in the largely experimental domain of mRNA-based vaccines.. The first batch of the company's COVID-19 vaccine has already been shipped to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in late February, with clinical trials experimenting with a two-dose schedule expected to begin in April.. If everything begins on schedule, that would be just three months from the initial design of the vaccine to human testing.. Unlike other COVID-19 treatments in clinical testing, mRNA-1273 can be used as a preventative (also referred to as a prophylactic) treatment.. For one, Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is still on the cusp of beginning phase 1 clinical trials with humans.. Clinical trials could end up reporting unexpected side effects during this time, something that would severely hurt Moderna's chances of successfully developing and marketing its COVID-19 vaccine.. mRNA-based treatments are still quite experimental, with even Moderna's most developed vaccines only in early clinical testing..