Late this afternoon, the National Institutes of Health announced preliminary phase 1 results of mRNA-1273, an investigational vaccine designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The vaccine candidate was one of the first to reach clinical trials. This was due in part to prior animal studies of related vaccines also developed collaboratively by NIH and Moderna Inc. 

According to the NIH, the vaccine was generally well tolerated and prompted neutralizing antibody activity in healthy adults. mRNA-1273 is designed to induce neutralizing antibodies directed at a portion of the coronavirus “spike” protein, which the virus uses to bind to and enter human cells. A Phase 2 clinical trial of mRNA-1273 began enrollment in late May. Plans are underway to launch a Phase 3 efficacy trial in July 2020. 

The preliminary report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and can be found at this link.

Additional information can also be found in this NIH press release.