The world is in a state of flux as we are all adjusting to life in lockdown.
People are worried about the future of the vaccine and are seeking alternatives. In some cases, this could mean delaying or forgoing vaccination altogether.
However, what if we told you there was a vaccine available that could not only save lives but also stop the pandemic?
One company, Moderna, is developing a vaccine that could be the answer to this question and more. In this article, we will tell you about the groundbreaking research being done at Moderna and how you can be a part of this historic moment.
A Revolutionary Vaccine Design
Moderna is a privately held company based in New York City. Founded in 2016, they are determined to save lives with their vaccine.
Vaccine design is an evolving science and Moderna’s scientists have created something entirely new. While all vaccines are designed to stimulate the immune system in some way, the vaccine being developed by Moderna will be doing this in a way that’s never been tried before. Let’s take a closer look.
A Global Health Emergency
As the world grapples with the health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to take a step back and understand the bigger picture. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are more than 600 million cases of COVID-19 globally with more than 300 million of those in serious or critical condition.
Also, many experts believe that the true number of cases could be higher than the figures currently shown due to under-reporting. According to Michael Worrall, a senior scientist at the Wellcome Trust and co-director of the International Vaccination Programs at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, ‘Since the beginning of this year, there’s been a lot of hesitancy about getting vaccines, especially in low- and middle-income countries where vaccination could prevent the spread of the virus.’
With COVID-19 spreading so rapidly, it’s one of the greatest public health emergencies of our time. Unfortunately, there are several complicating factors. First, there is no approved vaccine. Second, the best treatment so far has been to combat the effects of the virus with powerful antiviral drugs. But now that drug combinations are becoming available, there is a fear that patients could develop resistance.
Meanwhile, in high-income countries with healthier populations, the impact has been largely limited. But that could all be about to change with the development of a vaccine. Leading up to and during the pandemic, it was not uncommon to hear about people delaying or forgoing vaccination due to concerns about side effects. Now that the vaccine is being tested in patients, we could see that trend change.
Why Moderna?
It’s not every day that we hear of a vaccine for COVID-19 being developed, let alone one that is showing such promise. So when Moderna first revealed their plan to develop a vaccine, people were naturally curious and began asking questions. Why choose this particular company to undertake this enormous task?
Firstly, the team behind Moderna is determined to succeed. If you look at their leadership, you’ll see experienced scientists who are totally focused on this one project. In fact, Moderna’s management have a combined total of more than 70 years of pharmaceutical industry experience. Let’s also take a moment to appreciate the work that’s gone into developing this vaccine. Moderna started by screening hundreds of thousands of compounds to find one that could block the virus from attaching to human cells.
Once they found that magic ingredient, it took them seven months of trial and error testing to develop a working vaccine. According to Richard Wakeford, head of vaccine research and development at Moderna, ‘This is the hardest part of the whole process, getting the right dose to the right patient, at the right time. We’re now at that stage and it’s looking like we’ve optimized the dose for the best possible response.’
This process was extremely rigorous and it’s taken a lot of work to get to where they are today. So given all this, it’s no wonder that people are curious about this vaccine. Moderna’s determination and experience made them the perfect company to take on this challenge.
Where Can I Learn More?
While we can’t predict how the pandemic will unfold, we know Moderna is doing everything in their power to make a difference. If you’d like to know more, visit their website or follow them on social media. Also, keep an eye out for upcoming press releases regarding their research findings. Finally, if you’d like to be among the first to know about future developments regarding this vaccine, consider subscribing to their newsletter.