Moderna’s vaccine has become a symbol of the triumphs of government scientists during the pandemic. Unlike Pfizer, Moderna has worked closely with Operation Warp Speed, the federal program aimed at accelerating vaccine development. Nearly $2.5 billion in federal funds helped Moderna buy raw materials, expand its factory and enlarge its work force by 50 percent. Separately, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline had disappointing results in early clinical trials. While their vaccine produced a promising immune response in volunteers under 50, it failed to do so in older ones.

Source: New York Times December 15, 2020 13:02 UTC