Stéphane Bancel, Moderna’s (NSDQ:MRNA) CEO, has stressed that the company is not just a COVID-19 vaccine maker.
Now, the Cambridge, Massachusetts–based company has announced that its mRNA-based cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine candidate is entering a Phase 3 pivotal registration study. Known as mRNA-1647, the investigational vaccine integrates six mRNAs in a single vaccine.
A total of five mRNAs encode the subunits that form the membrane-bound pentamer complex. Another mRNA encodes the full-length membrane-bound glycoprotein B (gB).
There are presently no CMV vaccines available in the U.S. market.
CDC notes that more than half of U.S. adults have been infected with CMV by the age of 40. Expectant mothers can pass the virus on to unborn children. One out of 200 newborns has the virus. Roughly one in five babies with the virus has health problems stemming from the infection, including jaundice, low birth weight, hearing loss, seizures and blindness. In addition, CMV in newborns is often linked to congenital disabilities in the U.S.
“We believe that our mRNA vaccine technology is well-suited to provide protection against this latent virus,” Bancel said in a statement.
Moderna is referring to the Phase 3 study as “CMVictory.” It is the second Phase 3 study in its history.
The company is also developing vaccine candidates for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), among others.
Moderna said it intends to optimize for diversity in the clinical trial.