Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is nearly 95% effective

While both vaccines are promising, Moderna's vaccine seems to have a significant advantage over Pfizer's. For one, there are differences in their temperature storage requirements. Pfizer's vaccine has to be kept at -75°C (-130°F), which is only possible through special (not to mention expensive) freezers. While Moderna can be stored at 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F), "the temperature of a standard home or medical refrigerator."

Next would be their shelf life. Pfizer can last only five days in the refrigerator, while Moderna's mRNA-1273 can be kept for 30 days in the refrigerator.

“This is a pivotal moment in the development of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Since early January, we have chased this virus with the intent to protect as many people around the world as possible. All along, we have known that each day matters. This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has given us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease,” said

Stéphane Bancel, chief executive officer of Moderna.

With this positive news, Moderna hopes that by the end of 2020, approximately 20 million doses of the vaccine will be shipped in the US. They also aim to manufacture 500 million to 1 billion doses globally in 2021. 

"We look forward to the next milestones of submitting for an EUA in the U.S., and regulatory filings in countries around the world, while we continue to collect data on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in the COVE study. We remain committed to and focused on doing our part to help end the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bancel said. 

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