Moderna seeks approval in US and Europe to use vaccine

01 Dec Moderna seeks approval in US and Europe to use vaccine

Moderna has filled for US and European emergency regulatory approval of its coronavirus vaccine for widespread use.

Regulators will look at trial data for the mRNA vaccine and decide if it is safe and effective enough to recommend for roll out.

Clinical studies show the jab is more than 94% effective at protecting people from becoming ill with Covid-19.

Pfizer, which has a similar jab, has already filed for the same US approval.

UK regulators are also reviewing data on the Pfizer vaccine, as well as the vaccine from AstraZena and Oxford University for emergency approval.

Moderna says it hopes to gain UK approval soon, now that it has trial data from 30,000 volunteers – including high risk groups like the elderly – that suggests it works.

The US said first vaccine may be administered by Christmas.

The three front-runner vaccines have different pros and cons.

The AstraZeneca jab is cheaper – around £3 ($4) for a dose, compared to around £15 ($20) for the Pfizer vaccine and £25 ($33) for Moderna’s.

And it is potentially easier to distribute because it does not need to be stored under ultra-low temperatures. But its efficacy in trials – between 62% and 90% – is a bit lower than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.