Coronavirus vaccine: First human tests begin in Seattle

The first human tests for a Coronavirus vaccine have taken place in Seattle, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Over the course of six-weeks, the Phase 1 clinical trial taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute will enrol 45 volunteers aged between 18 and 55 years. The trial will evaluate the safety and immune response of a Covid-19 investigational vaccine given at three dose levels on a two-dose schedule, 28 days apart.

One patient has reportedly received the vaccine, which has been developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and biotechnology company, Moderna Therapeutics.

The mRNA-1273 vaccine is based on a genetic sequence of Covid-19 shared by Chinese authorities in January, and which was then sequenced and manufactured by Moderna and the NIAID.

The vaccine has been developed using a messenger RNA (mRNA) genetic platform and works by directing the body’s cell to express a virus protein, hopefully causing a strong immune response in patients.

“Finding a safe and effective vaccine to prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent public health priority,” said NIAID director Anthony S. Fauci. “This Phase 1 study, launched in record speed, is an important first step toward achieving that goal.”

Scientists at NIAID’s Vaccine Research Center (VRC) and Moderna have credited the speed of the vaccine’s development to previous work undertaken on treatments for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) - two other forms of coronaviruses.

“This study is the first step in the clinical development of an mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, and we expect it to provide important information about safety and immunogenicity. We are actively preparing for a potential Phase 2 study under our own IND,” said Tal Zaks, chief medical officer at Moderna. “We are grateful to NIH for their ongoing collaboration and to CEPI for funding the initial manufacturing of mRNA-1273 and are proud to be included with the many companies, worldwide health agencies and NGOs working on a possible response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.”

Moderna has stated it will continue to work with the FDA to prepare for a Phase 2 trial of mRNA-1273 and has begun rapidly accelerating its manufacturing capabilities to potentially prepare for developing the vaccine at-scale.

Adults in the Seattle area who are interested in joining this study should visit this link.

There are currently over 153,000 cases of confirmed Covid-19 cases worldwide, with the virus having caused 5,735 deaths.