Vaccine researchers and experts have gathered their thoughts regarding Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The company has since then garnered some enthusiasm in the development of its vaccine. However, experts point out a critical component missing: figures and full data regarding their clinical trials.
On Monday, the company again sparked hope that their vaccine seemed to be developing immune response in their Phase 1 trial subjects. Moderna's stock value also skyrocketed, hitting about $29 billion, an impressive accomplishment for the company that presently sells no products.
In an interview with STAT, experts in the field disclose their thoughts critical to how the company handles the disclosure or lack of publication regarding their coronavirus vaccine's essential data.
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Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Where are the Figures and Data Tables?
According to experts, numbers and figures are essential when it comes to science. In a journal article, these are some of the first things that people look for. Numbers tell you that their technology and advancements are indeed valid.
The company announced that in a test conducted in 45 subjects, eight healthy volunteers found its experimental vaccine safe and incited a strong immune response. Experts believe that although this is typically good news, other researchers would usually discuss what happened to the remaining participants.
Initially, the company reported that all 45 subjects who received two doses, 25 micrograms, two doses of 100 micrograms, or 250 micrograms, developed binding antibodies.
According to STAT, analyzing for neutralizing antibodies takes a considerably long time, even longer than other antibody tests. Additionally, they report that it must be performed in a biosecurity level 3 laboratory.
Unclear and Conflicting Releases
Moderna has partnered with the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases on the development of their coronavirus vaccine. Scientists from the NIAID are the ones who made the vaccine's build-up and prototype, and they are responsible for running its Phase one trial.
The institute usually proclaims its findings, generally through its director, Anthony Fauci. However, on Monday, NIAID declined to put out a press release and comment on Moderna's announcement concerning the immunity response set by the vaccine.
Moreover, the company reported the presence of neutralizing antibodies in subjects who received the vaccine from blood samples drawn two weeks after receiving their second dose. According to Anna Durbin, a vaccine researcher at John Hopkins University, two weeks is too early to tell whether antibodies are stable and long-lasting.
Another issue concerning vaccine experts is that Moderna announces that the antibody levels seen in subjects who took 100 micrograms of their vaccine were comparable to or greater than those who have recovered from COVID-19.
However, John Rose, a vaccine researcher from Yale University, pointed out that previous studies have shown that antibody levels among people who have significantly recovered vary and can't be contextualized.
When asked for information regarding the antibody levels and to which they compare their results to, Moderna said that information would eventually be disclosed in a journal article from NIAID.
Experts also point out that the company does not publish its work on scientific journals; instead, it discloses information through press releases. Durbin says that it would be helpful if Moderna puts out actual figures to allow others to make their own interpretation of the data.
Whether or not the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is indeed promising or not remains to be a mystery as experts still wait for relevant data regarding their trials.
