Moderna and Korea University to co-develop hantavirus vaccine

Moderna said Friday that it has entered into a full-scale collaboration with the Vaccine Innovation Center at Korea University College of Medicine to develop an mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid)-based hantavirus vaccine.

To strengthen practical cooperation following the R&D agreement signed in September last year, Moderna and the Vaccine Innovation Center jointly held the mRNA Access Partnership Seminar on Thursday to share the roles and visions of both organizations.

Park Ock, deputy director of the Vaccine Innovation Center, introduced the center, and Francesca Ceddia, chief medical officer of Moderna, explained the Moderna mRNA Access Program.

The mRNA Access Program is Moderna's public health program that aims to accelerate the development of new vaccines through collaboration with partners worldwide. It focuses on developing next-generation vaccines for emerging and neglected infectious diseases by sharing Moderna's manufacturing capacity and development expertise.

After that, Dr. Seok Jong-hyeon at the Vaccine Innovation Center presented the mRNA-based hantavirus project.

Dr. Seok explained that the World Health Organization has selected hantavirus as one of the “Disease X” pathogens that can trigger new infectious diseases, and there is an urgent need to develop new vaccines effective against a wide range of subtypes.

Hantaviruses cause 300 to 400 cases of infectious nephrotic syndrome hemorrhagic fever in Korea each year, and fewer than 10 deaths are reported. It is a deadly disease especially affecting young men in their 20s and 30s who are serving in the military.

The current hantavirus vaccine, commercially available since 1990, has raised the need for improving its efficacy.

To collaborate on developing a hantavirus vaccine, the Vaccine Innovation Center has sequenced the hantavirus antigen and provided it to Moderna. It is now conducting preliminary efficacy evaluations on the mRNA produced by Moderna.

The center will use preclinical mRNA vaccine candidates provided by Moderna under the mRNA Access Program to develop a hantavirus vaccine that is effective against a broader range of viruses than existing vaccines.

"This collaboration is significant indeed in continuing the work of the late Professor Lee Ho-wang, who was the first to isolate hantaviruses and contribute to the development of hantavirus vaccines," said Cheong Hee-jin director of the Vaccine Innovation Center. "We look forward to working with Moderna to successfully develop mRNA-based hantavirus vaccines to improve people’s health worldwide."

Moderna CMO Ceddia said, "This partnership will strengthen our mRNA vaccine research and development capabilities in Korea, and we look forward to making a significant leap forward in public health."