The company was working to invest and hire in order to deliver up to 1 billion doses this year, the higher end of its production forecast, it said.

Moderna said it has so far supplied about 18 million doses to U.S. government as part of a deal for 200 million doses. It has also signed a deal with the Canadian government for 40 million doses.

(This story refiles to add dropped word in paragraph two)

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)