Moderna, Inc. (MRNA), Pfizer, Inc. (NYSE: PFE) – Modern Analysts Discuss Adcom Verdict, Distribution and Marketing of Coronavirus Vaccine

Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA) The candidate for the coronavirus vaccine, mRNA-1273, has received the support of the FDA group, as expected, and is likely to be granted emergency use authorization at any time.

A surprising decision: The 20-0 vote, with one abstention, in favor of issuing a EUA for mRNA-1273 in patients aged 18 years and over, is not surprising, given the high overall vaccine efficacy of 94.5% and the protection of all subgroups, SVB analyst Leerink Mani Foroohar said in a note.

Needham analyst Alan Carr noted that the abstaining member expressed reservations about administering the vaccine to the wider population before additional data became available. Instead, he preferred the administration to those at high risk for the time being.

No substantial concerns were raised regarding the safety profile.

Discussion points: The vaccine committee discussed extensively the desorbing and cross-linking of placebo recipients in the phase 3 study, vaccine safety and durability, Foroohar said.

Carr noted that the FDA is in favor of keeping the blind to generate additional placebo-controlled safety data as a means of providing valuable long-term information on the safety profile of the vaccine.

With both Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Moderna supporting the subject’s option to be blinded and given the vaccine, the committee gradually began to lean toward offering subjects an option to be blinded, the analyst said.

Imminent EUA, Focus moves on distribution, commercial issues: Carr said he expects the FDA to grant a EUA very soon.

The CDC’s ACIP meetings are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday to discuss mRNA-1273, as well as the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines in phases 1b and 1c, the analyst said.

He mRNA-1273 from Moderna is delivered at -20 degrees Celsius as a single box containing 100 doses and each vial contains 10 doses without the need for dilution, he added.

The vaccine remains stable at 4 degrees Celsius for 30 days and at room temperature for 12 hours, Carr said.

Needham estimates that mRNA-1273 is likely to bring Modern Revenue $ 7.28 billion in revenue by 2021, involving the transportation of 500 million doses globally.

“We recognize the enormous achievement in developing a vaccine for COVID-19 in a very short period of time, but we believe that the stock is quite appreciated and HOLD is maintained,” the company said.

In premarket trading, Moderna shares fell 0.52% to $ 143.25. The stock has increased by about 636% so far.