Pfizer CEO thrilled about Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate results

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla congratulated Moderna after it announced that following the completion of the third phase of trials their coronavirus vaccine candidate is more than 94% effective in preventing COVID-19. This statement by Moderna came a week after pharmaceutical industry giant Pfizer and German partner BioNtech SE announced that their coronavirus vaccine candidate was 90% effective in preventing coronavirus.

Bourla took to Twitter on Tuesday to congratulate Moderna and said that he was thrilled to hear the goods news coming out of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine development program. He wrote on the social media platform, "Our companies share a common goal - defeating this dreaded disease - and today we congratulate everyone at Moderna and share in the joy of their encouraging results."

I am thrilled to hear the good news coming out of @moderna_tx's #COVID19 vaccine development program. Our companies share a common goal - defeating this dreaded disease - and today we congratulate everyone at Moderna and share in the joy of their encouraging results.

- AlbertBourla (@AlbertBourla) November 16, 2020

Moderna had announced on November 16 that the independent National Institute of Health-appointed body Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), for Phase 3 trial of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate mRNA-1273, had stated that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate was 94.5% effective in preventing coronavirus infection.

Last week, before Moderna's announcement, Pfizer CEO Bourla had wished Moderna best of luck for the successful completion of their vaccine candidate results.

He wrote on Twitter, "Excited to hear the news that @moderna_tx has reached its #COVID19 case count. Wishing them luck with their results. The world needs multiple breakthroughs to end this horrible pandemic."

Excited to hear the news that @moderna_tx has reached its #COVID19 case count. Wishing them luck with their results. The world needs multiple breakthroughs to end this horrible pandemic.

- AlbertBourla (@AlbertBourla) November 12, 2020

Modern has received around $1 billion from the US government for research and development of the COVID-19 vaccine. It has a deal worth $1.5 billion with the US government for supplying 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine once fully developed. Pfizer and Moderna are the first two companies who have delivered positive news in the search for a vaccine against COVID-19.

Also Read: Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 94.5% effective; can be stored in homes, clinics for 30 daysAlso Read: Have enough data for first interim analysis of Covid-19 vaccine: Moderna