Moderna on track to report COVID-19 vaccine data later this month

(Reuters) – Moderna Inc said on Wednesday it was on track to report early data from a late-stage trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine later this month, and could file for U.S. emergency use authorization in December.

Hopes of the world soon getting an effective vaccine were raised on Monday after Pfizer said its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective based on interim trial results.

Even after reporting interim data on the vaccine’s effectiveness, Moderna may have to wait for two-month follow up safety data to apply for U.S. emergency use authorization. It expects the safety data in the second half of this month.

Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had set a bar of at least 50% effectiveness for a vaccine and it was not yet sure how effective its vaccine could be.

“It is difficult to guess efficacy unless you have data,” said Bancel at a Credit Suisse conference.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)