THIS
THIS WEEK. WE'RE TAKING YOU INSIDE MODERNA TONIGHT. WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE MAKING OF THE
CAMBRIDGE COMPANY AND HOW THIS
SMALL TEAM OF LOCAL SCIENTISTS
AND DOCTORS WHEN THE BIGGEST
RACE IN BIOTECH HISTORY RIGHT
HERE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.
MONTHS AGO, BOSTON 25 STARTED
WORKING TO GET UNPRECEDENTED
ACCESS AND MODERNA'S FACILITIES
IN CAMBRIDGE AND IN NORWOOD.
>> WE WENT THROUGH STRICT COVID
TESTING AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS
BEFORE SITTING DOWN WITH THE
PEOPLE BEHIND THIS
BREAKTHROUGH. WE'VE GOT TO HEAR
DIRECTLY FROM THE PRESIDENT TO
THE SCIENTISTS. THESE PEOPLE
LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY
WERE REALLY GENUINE ABOUT WHAT
IT WAS LIKE TO BE A PART OF ALL
OF THIS AND HOW MRNA
REALLY WORKS. I'M GONNA TAKE
YOU INSIDE MODERNA TONIGHT TO
SHOW YOU WHAT WE FOUND VERY
BIG IDEA THAT 10 YEARS AGO WAS
PROBABLY CALLED CAN CARE CRAZY
WAS THAT WE COULD MAKE MEDICINE
USING MESSENGER. NATE MODERNA
ALREADY HAD 9 MRNA VACCINES IN
THE PIPELINE AT THEIR
MASSACHUSETTS LABS FOR
ILLNESSES FROM ZIKA TO THE FLU.
>> THAT WAS BEFORE COVID THE
MOMENT THE
MOMENT THE PANDEMIC HIT.
PANDEMIC HIT. >> EVERYBODY, THE COMPANY KNEW
WE COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE OR
35 YEAR-OLD HAMILTON BENNETT
WAS ONE OF THE SCIENTISTS ON
THE COVID MRNA VACCINE. THE
COMPANY'S FIRST TO BE
AUTHORIZED FOR USE.
>> EXPLAIN FOR US. WHAT IS MRNA
IN SIMPLE TERMS. YOUR BODY GETS
THIS SORT OF THE SOFTWARE.
IT NEEDS TO MAKE ITS OWN
PROTEIN. WE DON'T HAVE TO GROW
A VIRUS AND THEN EXTRACT
PROTEINS FROM IT.
>> YOUR BODY BECOMES ITS OWN
LITTLE FACTORY AND CREATES THE
VACCINE FOR YOU. BUT CLINICAL
TRIALS WERE NEEDED BEFORE THAT
VACCINE COULD EARN FDA
CLEARANCE. MELANIE IVERSON
OVERSAW THAT PROCESS WITH THE
HELP OF BOSTON AREA, DOCTORS
AND HOSPITALS. WE WERE PREPARED
TO BE VERY COLD IN THE
DECISIONS WE MADE AND WE JUST
KEPT GOING. IT WAS THE MOST
EXTRAORDINARY THING I'VE EVER
BEING PASSED OFF. AND TO THINK
THAT BOLDNESS AND THAT
CURIOSITY IS WHAT HELPED YOU
WIN THIS RACE. ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY. WITHOUT A DOUBT.
I SPOKE WITH LEADER AFTER
LEADER WHO TOLD ME THE SAME
THING. THEY TELL ME IT'S THE
CULTURE OF MODERNA THAT MAKES
THEM DIFFERENT.
THEM DIFFERENT. >> A DIVERSE GROUP WORKING
TOGETHER INSTEAD OF COMPETING
IT. YOU'RE TOLD LOOKING.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR SUPERMAN
HERE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A
VISIONARY WHO CAN DO IT AND
REALLY LOOKING.
REALLY LOOKING. >> FOR YOU TO BE COLLABORATIVE
TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
ACROSS A LOT OF DIFFERENT
BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE WORKING TO
ENSURE THAT.
ENSURE THAT. >> WE GET THE VACCINE OUT AND
IN A TIMELY MANNER, BUT WITH
HIGH QUALITY.
HIGH QUALITY. >> AND I IMAGINE THAT THIS IS
NOT A 95 JOB. THIS PLAN IS
RUNNING 24 BY 7. SO WE RUN 3
SHIFTS. AND SO IF YOU COME OUT
HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NIGHT.
THE PARKING LOT IS FULL
MANUFACTURING HEAD SCOTT
NICKERSON GAVE ME A TOUR OF
THEIR EXPANDING FACILITY IN
NORWOOD SAID I WANT TO STOP YOU
RIGHT THERE BECAUSE RIGHT
BEHIND US RIGHT HERE. THEY'RE
MAKING THE MESSENGER RNA
CORRECT. IN NORWOOD THEY MAKE
BAGS OF THE FROZEN VACCINE.
THOSE ARE LATER SENT TO A PLANT
IN INDIANA WHERE THEY'RE PLACED
IN THE VIALS WERE USED TO SEE.
NICKERSON SAYS SCALING UP
PRODUCTION QUICKLY WAS A HURDLE
THEY'RE STILL AGGRESSIVELY
HIRING FOR LOCAL JOBS FROM THE
EQUIPMENT OPERATORS TO
ENGINEERS AND CHEMISTS IS THERE
A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR YOUR
EMPLOYEES THAT THIS IS BEING
DEVELOPED IN THEIR OWN
BACKYARD. IT'S A IT'S AN
AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY. WE TAKE
IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
>> BUT YEAH, IT'S EASY TO GET
OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING AND
COME TO THIS. THE PASSION IS
THE CORE OF IT. IF IF YOU DON'T
HAVE PASSION FOR HELPING OTHER
PEOPLE AND THIS AIN'T THE PLACE
FOR YOU. BARBARA MODERNA IS NOW
A HOUSEHOLD NAME ALL OVER THE
WORLD. WHAT'S THAT BEEN LIKE
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. >> WELL, MY TO MY KIDS LOBBIES,
A ROCK STAR CLASSIC AND HANG
OUT WITH
OUT WITH
OUT WITH A FRIEND AND SCIENTISTS CDC
CAR. HAS IT SUNK IN YET THAT
EVEN CORE, IT REALLY HASN'T
FELT LIKE IT'S TIME TO
CELEBRATE
CELEBRATE
CELEBRATE YOU PERSONALLY.
YOU PERSONALLY. >> IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE STILL IN
THE MIDDLE OF THIS FIGHT.
AND WE'VE GOT A REALLY LONG WAY
TO GO.
TO GO.
TO GO. >>
TO GO. >> EVERYONE. I SPOKE WITH THE
MODERNA SAID THIS WORK WOULD
NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE
SUPPORT OF THEIR FAMILIES.
PRESIDENT STEPHEN HOGE, YOU
JUST HEARD FROM IN THERE TOLD
ME HIS 8 YEAR-OLD SON BELIEVE A
SANDWICH OUTSIDE OF HIS HOME
OFFICE STORE JUST TO MAKE SURE
HE ATE SOMETHING. MELANIE
IVERSON REALLY GOT EMOTIONAL
EXPLAINING HOW HER KIDS STEPPED
UP IN THE LAST YEAR WHILE SHE
WAS WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK.
AND I LIKE SO MANY OF US IN THE
PANDEMIC FAMILY WAS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TO THE REGULAR
PEOPLE. THEY ARE VISIONARIES
AS WELL AS WE JUST FOUND OUT,
THE PRESIDENT SPOKE AT THE END
OF REPORTING. THANKS ABOUT
HAVING A LONG WAY TO GO.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR MODERNA.
>> COMING TO DIG INTO THAT
THURSDAY NIGHT. WE'LL TALK
ABOUT WHY HE'S NOT CONCERNED
ABOUT LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS
THE PUSH TO GET THEIR VACCINE
TO KIDS AND HOW MRNA MAY BE
USED TO FIGHT OTHER DISEASES AS
WELL. PLUS,