Insights for Oncology Trials Garnered From the Rapid Development of an mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine

The sudden emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 stimulated unprecedented scientific initiatives to rapidly develop effective treatments and vaccines. One example was the development of vaccines based on messenger RNA platforms, which received emergency use authorization in the United States less than 1 year after the primary sequence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus was published. Novel practices arose from the collaborative efforts and inclusive clinical studies that facilitated the vaccines' rapid development and clinical testing. I describe insights gained from the experience of mRNA-1273 vaccine development that may be applied to or adapted for oncology research. These insights include clinical study design, diversity and inclusion initiatives, speed, and real-world evidence generation, as well as close partnership among regulatory agencies, government, and pharmaceutical companies.