CueVac and GSK launch Phase 1 trial of mRNA-based flu vaccine

CureVac (NSDQ:CVAC) and GSK (NYSE:GSK) have announced the dosing of the first participant in a Phase 1 study of a multivalent influenza vaccine built on a second-generation mRNA backbone. The study is based in Panama and will enroll approximately 240 subjects.

CVAC shares increased 2.27% to $19.34 in mid-day trading.

At various points last year, however, the company’s stock was trading over $100 per share on enthusiasm about the company’s first-generation COVID-19 vaccine. However, the shares later tanked after the company announced that interim vaccine efficacy was 47% in the Phase 2b/3 study.

The company’s second-generation COVID-19 vaccine remains in pre-clinical development.

Its influenza vaccine candidate has multiple non-chemically modified mRNA constructs related to four different influenza strains.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) are also developing mRNA-based influenza vaccines.

Investors were dis…

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Moderna releases positive early data for its mRNA flu vaccine; Stock tumbles

Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) has announced positive interim data from the Phase 1 study of its quadrivalent seasonal flu vaccine candidate, mRNA-1010.

Still, the results did not impress investors, as they seemed to be broadly in line with performance of Sanofi’s (NSDQ:SNY) common Fluzone HD flu vaccine.

MRNA shares fell roughly 9% to $249.20 in mid-morning trading.

“We believe the market was looking for data which supported clearly better efficacy,” wrote Morgan Stanley analyst Matthew Harrison in an investor briefing note.

The vaccine candidate led to elevated hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay geometric mean titers against four influenza strains 29 days after vaccination.

Investigators tested a variety of doses in both younger and older adults.

Recipients of the 50-µg dose of vaccine, who had large increases in geometric mean antibody titers against H1N1 and H3N2 strains.

The company is also developing other flu vaccine candidat…

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