Since starting its rapid global spread in early 2020, COVID-19 has put conventional methods of research and development to the test. As communities worldwide entered lockdown to control viral contagion, public and private research networks faced overwhelming pressure to develop vaccines and treatments to combat the highly infectious virus. By early-June, more than 160 candidate vaccines were in the global pipeline for clinical trials, with 10 of them in clinical testing. Yet the question remains: How close is prevention or effective treatment for COVID-19? Through a series of individual conversations, leaders on the frontline of COVID-19 research will offer a timely review explaining the current status of COVID-19 research, what appears to be working, and the likelihood of developing a vaccine by the end of 2020.