India in talks with Moderna for its 'effective' COVID-19 vaccine candidate: Reports

After Moderna announced its COVID-19 vaccine candidate to be 94.5 percent effective, it is now reported that the Indian government is in talks with the American biotech giant for a deal. According to news agency ANI, which cited a senior official as a source, the Indian government is in dialogue with Moderna regarding its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. 

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'Govt in talks with several companies'

The senior official is reported to have said that not only with Moderna, the government is also in talks with several other domestic and international pharmaceutical companies involved in developing a COVID-19 vaccine. The official said some of the companies that the government is in communication with regarding the vaccine include big names like Pfizer, Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute of India, and Zydus Cadila. 

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Moderna on Monday, November 16 informed that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate mRNA-1273 has proven to be 94.5 percent effective, adding it intends to submit the potential treatment for an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) with the United States' Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

"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. 

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Moderna's announcement came days after another US biotech firm Pfizer announced its vaccine candidate to be 90 percent effective. On November 10, Pfizer Inc announced that its mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, which it has developed in partnership with German firm BioNTech, has been found to be 90 percent effective in the first interim analysis from Phase III study. The company also said that the vaccine will be distributed across the United States in December. 

Read: Moderna's COVID Vaccine Reports 94.5% Efficacy, To Seek US FDA's Emergency Authorization

(With inputs from ANI)