Moderna's stock falls following report that the Phase 3 coronavirus vaccine trial has been delayed

Shares of Moderna Inc. declined 6.2% in trading on Thursday after people familiar with the matter told Stat News the start date for the company's Phase 3 clinical trial for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine has been delayed. The sources attributed the delay to protocol changes ⁠- a common issue with clinical studies ⁠- not a problem with the vaccine candidate. Following publication of the story, Moderna tweeted that the Phase 3 trial is still set to begin in July. "We have worked closely with [the National Institutes of Health/Operation Warp Speed] to align on the final protocol in order to begin the trial on time," it said. Moderna's stock has soared 197.7% year-to-date, while the S&P 500 is down 3.5%.

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