Madonna says it's experimental Shot is 94.5% effective in preventing covert 19 That's based on interim data from a late stage clinical trial.

It makes it the second U S company to report results that far exceed expectations.

Together with the Pfizer vaccine on depending more safety data and regulatory review, the U.

S could have two vaccines authorized for emergency use by December.

A key advantage off Madonna's vaccine is that it does not need ultra cold storage like Pfizer's, making it easier to distribute.

Production of the Madonna shots will partially be carried out by Swiss biotechnology firm Lonza at plants in the US and Switzerland.

The news sent Moderna shares up around 17%.

Also on Monday, Russia said it expects to produce primarily freeze dried Sputnik V Corona virus vaccine doses by the spring that would eliminate the need for transport at ultra low temperatures.

Russia has an ambitious plan to inoculate its population, but vaccine developers globally are scrambling to work out how to ship and store their vials, some of which must be kept in specialized freezes at extremely low temperatures.

The logistical challenge was brought into sharp focus after promising interim trial data for the vaccine developed by biotech and Pfizer.

It's being considered a major breakthrough in the race to curb the pandemic, but it needs to be shipped and stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, equivalent to an Antarctic winter that poses a challenge for even the most sophisticated hospitals.

For the moment, it also puts it out of reach for many poorer countries.