Business
Moderna Announces First Participant Dosed in Phase 2/3 Study of its mRNA Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine
Moderna expects to enroll approximately 34,000 participants in multiple countries RSV is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness in older adults (65+)
About this update from Moderna, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\nModerna expects to enroll approximately 34,000 participants in multiple countries\n\nRSV is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness in older adults (65+) and young children; there is no approved vaccine to prevent RSV\n\nRSV illness in older adults results in an estimated $3 billion in annual medical costs in the U.S. each year\n\n CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nModerna, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA), a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, today announced the first participant has been dosed in the Phase 2/3 study of mRNA-1345, the Company’s Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine candidate. This study is known as ConquerRSV.\n\n“RSV is a respiratory virus that can result in hospitalization and death in adults over 65 years of age. Yet, RSV illness in older adults is often under-recognized and there is no vaccine against it. The start of this international Phase 2/3 study is an important milestone as we continue to advance mRNA vaccines against respiratory viruses,” said Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s Chief Executive Officer. “We believe that vaccine candidate against RSV can have a positive impact on public health as RSV represents a significant unmet global need. In addition, we believe that combination vaccines against multiple respiratory pathogens can help ensure that people are fully vaccinated by leading to higher compliance and better uptake, which may result in a longer-term benefit to health care systems and protect people from a broader number of respiratory viruses.”\n\nRSV is a common respiratory virus that generally causes cold-like symptoms. In the U.S. and areas with similar climates, RSV infections occur primarily during fall, winter, and spring. Most people recover in approximately one to two weeks, but RSV can be serious, especially for young children under 5 years of age and older adults over 65 years of age. RSV is a leading cause of severe respiratory illness in older adults and young children. In older adults, RSV can result in pneumonia and respiratory distress and represents a substantial burden of illness. In the U.S., RSV causes approximately 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths in adults 65 years and older. Additionally, RSV in older adults results in an estimated $3 billion in annual medical costs in the U.S. each year. RSV is also the most common c...