Moderna's (NASDAQ: MRNA) stock has been a fast-mover in the last few weeks as a result of the company's COVID-19 vaccine efforts, funded to the tune of $483 million by the U.S. government.
Investors should know that Moderna's scientific approach to vaccine development is unproven. But its mature technology platform and long-standing collaborations with government institutions and established pharmaceutical companies mean it's well-positioned to thrive in the long-term whether or not its COVID-19 vaccine pans out as hoped.
Moderna's technology platform is centered around its ability to quickly produce clinical trial-ready sequences of genetic information. This genetic information is the active ingredient in all of Moderna's products. Then, using the company's patented therapeutic delivery platform, the sequence infiltrates its cellular targets and prompts them to react in the way Moderna envisions.