Moderna Closing In On Deal To Supply Coronavirus Vaccine To Israel: Report

Moderna Inc MRNA reportedly is close to signing a coronavirus vaccine deal with Israel, a testament to the validity and viability of the company's vaccine program.

What Happened: The vaccine deal, which is reportedly in advanced stages of discussion, was reported by Israeli news site Ynet Sunday, quoting unnamed officials at the Israeli Health Ministry.

Moderna is among the frontrunners in the race for developing a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company said last week that it has finalized the protocol for a late-stage study that will evaluate 30,000 volunteers.

A preprint of animal data showed that the vaccine generated potent neutralizing activity and protected the mice from viral infection up to 13 weeks post-injection. The findings showed no safety signals. 

What's Next: Moderna is set to start a Phase 3 trial shortly, while the Phase 1 and 2 studies are ongoing. The company has funding from BARDA and has also put manufacturing tie-ups in place. 

At last check, Moderna shares were rising 5.79% to $65.59. 

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