Moderna and Pfizer might have Covid-19 vaccine results at same time, Fauci says

A University of Miami Miller School of Medicine lab tech processes blood samples from volunteers are taking part in the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine study, Wednesday, September 2 in Miami, Florida. Taimy Alvarez/AP

Moderna and Pfizer appear to be "neck and neck" in the race for a Covid-19 vaccine — so much so that the United States could see critical safety and efficacy data for both companies' vaccine candidates around the same time, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a Facebook Live session on Thursday. 

Currently, there are six Covid-19 vaccine candidates in the United States — four of which are in Phase 3 trials, Fauci said, adding that Moderna and Pfizer are "neck and neck." 

"Pfizer and Moderna, both went into Phase 3 on July 27," Fauci told Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, during the Facebook Live session. 

"Close behind them is the AstraZeneca, and the Johnson or J & J or the Janssen trial — and then we have the trial of Novavax and then ultimately we have Sanofi," Fauci said. "So we would likely, Francis, start seeing results from Moderna and Pfizer at approximately the same time."