A screenshot taken on May 18, 2020, from the website of the U.S. biotech company Moderna shows a design illustrating its work on a potential vaccine against the COVID-19. (Xinhua)

"We are investing to scale up manufacturing so we can maximize the number of doses we can produce to help protect as many people as we can from SARS-CoV-2."

WASHINGTON, May 18  -- U.S. biotech company Moderna on Monday announced positive interim clinical data of mRNA-1273, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The results came from Phase 1 study, led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which began in Seattle in March.

Moderna has vaccinated dozens of study participants and measured antibodies in eight of them. All eight developed neutralizing antibodies to the virus at levels reaching or exceeding the levels seen in people who have naturally recovered from COVID-19, according to the company.