The race between countries for a coronavirus vaccine has begun. According to the latest breaking news, Israel has made a decisive move. With more than 19,000 confirmed cases and about 300 deaths, Israel has announced a significant step regarding the coronavirus. Israeli media report that the government has reached an agreement with a company called Moderna to purchase a vaccine that is scheduled to begin human trials next month. Last week it was also announced that Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands reached agreements to obtain a vaccine developed by Oxford University.
As many countries begin to feel the second wave of the coronavirus, Israel’s decision stands out. The race among nations to produce and secure coronavirus treatments and vaccines has drawn intense attention, and the news from Israel is notable. One of Israel’s most widely read newspapers reported that the government has largely finalized an agreement with Moderna. According to those reports, Israel is close to purchasing the vaccine, which will enter clinical trials next month. Moderna, a U.S.-based company, has said it will begin Phase 3 clinical trials next month, and that Israel wants to be among the first countries to secure access to the vaccine.
The vaccine, which is planned to start Phase 3 trials in July 2020, will be evaluated in studies involving around 30,000 participants. Moderna, the company developing the vaccine, has advanced its trials at an unusually fast pace compared with some previous vaccine efforts. The company received $483 million in funding from the U.S. government and described early results from a small trial of eight people on May 18 as encouraging. Moderna has stated that if a 100 microgram dose proves effective, it could produce at least 500 million doses and up to one billion doses within the year.
Race Begins for Vaccine Developed at Oxford University
The race for the vaccine developed at Oxford University has also intensified. The European pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced agreements with Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy for the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine it helped develop. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the company said deliveries are planned for the end of 2020. Reports indicate the agreement could cover up to 400 million doses. AstraZeneca emphasized that initial supply arrangements are not being made for profit and that the vaccine developed in university laboratories will soon be available across Europe and subsequently more broadly around the world.