First Covid-19 vaccine tested in US poised for final trials

The first coronavirus vaccine tested in the US caused people to produce antibodies in the way scientists have hoped, as the shots are poised to begin final testing.

The vaccine, made by US biotech firm Moderna, is due to enter the final stage of human trials for its Covid-19 vaccine on July 27, after promising early results were seen and published in a prominent journal.

“No matter how you slice this, this is good news,” Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government’s top infectious disease expert, said .

The announcement came after the New England Journal of Medicine on Tuesday published results from the first stage of Moderna’s vaccine trial, which showed the first 45 participants all developed antibodies to the virus.

The 45 participants were split into three groups of 15 each to test doses of 25 micrograms, 100 micrograms and 250 micrograms.

They were given a second dose of the same amount 28 days later.

After the first round, antibody levels were found to be higher with higher doses.

After the second round, participants had higher levels of antibodies than most patients who have had Covid-19 and gone on to generate their own antibodies.