how modernas covid 19

How Moderna’s Vaccine Works

By Jonathan Corum and Carl ZimmerUpdated Dec. 29, 2020

Moderna, a Massachusetts-based vaccine developer, partnered with the National Institutes of Health to develop and test a coronavirus vaccine known as mRNA-1273. A clinical trial demonstrated that the vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent in preventing Covid-19.
A Piece of the Coronavirus

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is studded with proteins that it uses to enter human cells. These so-called spike proteins make a tempting target for potential vaccines and treatments.

Spikes

Spike

protein

gene

CORONAVIRUS

Like the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Moderna’s vaccine is based on the virus’s genetic instructions for building the spike protein.
mRNA Inside an Oily Shell

The vaccine uses messenger RNA, genetic material that our cells read to make proteins. The molecule — called mRNA for short — is fragile and would be chopped to pieces by our natural enzymes if it were injected directly into the body. To protect the vaccine, Moderna wraps the mRNA in oily bubbles made of lipid nanoparticles.
Because of their fragility, the mRNA molecules will quickly fall apart at room temperature. Moderna’s vaccine will need to be refrigerated, and should be stable for up to six months when shipped and stored at –4°F (–20°C).
Entering a Cell

After injection, the vaccine particles bump into cells and fuse to them, releasing mRNA. The cell’s molecules read its sequence and build spike proteins. The mRNA from the vaccine is eventually destroyed by the cell, leaving no permanent trace.
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