As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage around the globe, killing thousands daily and pushing as many as 176 million people into extreme poverty, governments and companies are scrambling to develop a safe and effective vaccine. While roughly 165 vaccines are in development globally, only ten have advanced past early stage safety trials to phase three clinical trials.

Among the front-runners in the United States is Moderna’s mRNA-based vaccine, which was initially developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), University of Texas at Austin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilt University. Working with Moderna scientists, researchers identified a vaccine candidate based on the structure of the viral spike protein and were able to show that the potential antidote protects against viral infection in animal models. In a highly accelerated timeline, Moderna began NIH-sponsored human trials to establish safety in small cohorts, and on July 27 launched phase three trials that will enroll thirty thousand people across the United States.

It’s still unclear how effective the Moderna vaccine will be. But one thing is already apparent: the company’s executives intend to profit handsomely.