Covid Vaccines
Moderna released their mRNA preliminary phase 3 results and they look just as good as Pfizer/BioNTech. 94.5% effective with no severe illness in the treatment arm of the study. Best part is the Moderna product can be stored at -20C (-4F) which is just about the same temperature at which ice cream is held at your local grocery store.
The Pfizer vaccine is expected to be stable around -80C (-112 F), which is a storage temp that exists in many life science research labs, which are located mostly in metropolitan areas. So for now, Moderna is the only viable rural option.
To distribute in the rural areas, maybe Walmart can make some room next to the popsicles and do a 'buy a Covid vaccine, get a free bag of Fritos' deal. Or how about we send ice cream trucks loaded with Moderna vaccine and a doctor/nurse on board to rural areas. Man, those kids would be sooo angry. That would be like going to see a "Santa" who ends up drilling your teeth. Maybe use Schwan's trucks instead.
As for vaccine availability by January, it's looking like 20 million courses between the two vaccines (40 million doses, two required per person). We have about 1 million doctors plus 4 million nurses in the US. Then you have all the other health workers, 21 million Americans aged 75 or older plus nursing home employees. If you don't fall into those categories, don't expect a vaccine until spring at best. Mid-to-late summer is more realistic.
We still have no idea how long these vaccines will provide immunity, only time will tell. But by all accounts it looks like there could be long lasting immunity based on some science-y cellular stuff we don't fully understand.
Finally, Moderna released this 94.5% efficacy number based on preliminary data, begging the question - who goes to the tenths place on data they know is going to change in a week? Showman CEO Stephane Bancel, that's who. Pfizer had previously reported "over 90%" effective. After their data were finalized this week, they were pleased to confirm it was 95% effective. (actually 95.3%, but they didn't point that out) Maybe Moderna will go to the hundredths place when they get final results.
Online Marketplaces
There are two major websites operating as online marketplaces to connect life science service providers to companies looking for those services: Scientist.com and Science Exchange.
Science Exchange is a Silicon Valley company, Scientist.com is based down in San Diego. The contrast between the two really highlights the difference between these two biotech hubs.
Scientist.com in San Diego received $1.8M from family/friends in 2007, $1.7M from Adam Sandler's friend in 2011, $3.4M in 2014. Only after 10 years and having proving the business model, they were funded with a big $24M round in 2017. Total: 13 years, $30M
Science Exchange was funded by a Silicon Valley incubator, angel investors & venture capitalists in 2011. Two years later they had a $4M round, three years later they did a $25 round, a year later they did a $28M round and a year later they did another $20M round. Total: 9 years, $76M.
The thing is, these are both just online platforms to match buyers and sellers. They also have some ancillary services. They are technically, but barely, "tech" companies. Scientist.com understands that, Science Exchange has an indoor dog park (we just made that up).
Case in point - this recent press release in which Science Exchange introduces themselves as "the leading SaaS-enabled marketplace platform for outsourced R&D services". SaaS-enabled? Come on. It's just a website.
In comparison, Scientist.com describes themselves in press releases as "The healthcare industry’s leading marketplace for life science research". See that - they actually understand they're a marketplace.
