Pfizer Inc. has been first across the finish line in nearly every leg of the COVID-19 vaccine race, but Moderna Inc. executives say their company¡¯s long experience with messenger RNA technology give it a more enduring advantage.

¡°We¡¯re not dabbling¡± in mRNA, the technology that is the backbone of both the leading U.S. vaccines, Moderna President Stephen Hoge said in an interview Friday. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this for a few years, we¡¯re the creators of this space.¡±

Hoge said Pfizer¡¯s experience with fast clinical trials and mass production allowed it to excel in the short run. The pharmaceutical giant, founded in 1849, has developed countless household-name therapies. Additionally, its partner, BioNTech SE, had been working on mRNA for years.