All articles tagged with #mrna
Amid an Andes virus–related outbreak on a cruise ship, UK-backed researchers are racing to develop the first hantavirus vaccine. A thermally stable mRNA candidate from the University of Bath and EnsiliTech shows promise in animals, but it’s not yet tested against Andes, and no vaccines exist for hantaviruses yet.
Moderna and Korea University’s Vaccine Innovation Center have been collaborating since 2023 to create an mRNA hantavirus vaccine; early preclinical results in mice (reported in 2025) show protection, but the vaccine is not yet in humans and faces funding, regulatory, and multi-strain coverage challenges, as there is currently no licensed hantavirus vaccine and the effort aims for a broad-spectrum solution in line with pandemic‑preparedness goals.
Moderna’s shares jumped about 14% after news of early hantavirus vaccine research with the U.S. Army and Korea University, though executives say the work is in its infancy and not close to a vaccine. Experts note funding has been limited because hantavirus outbreaks are rare, suggesting a vaccine could be years or even a decade away. Wall Street shows a Hold consensus on MRNA with a $41.75 target implying potential downside, so the stock move reflects long‑term research interest rather than near‑term product prospects.
Moderna, Inc. stock rose about 12% on news of a hantavirus outbreak, signaling investor optimism for potential vaccine demand; the move pushed Moderna’s share price toward the low $50s, reflecting broader market enthusiasm for vaccine developers amid outbreak concerns.
In a Phase 3 trial of more than 40,000 adults aged 50+, Moderna's mRNA influenza vaccine reduced illness to about 2.0% vs 2.8% for standard vaccines (roughly 27% more effective), with similar improvement in adults 65+. Side effects were mild. The FDA decision on licensure is expected by Aug. 5, as Moderna pursues approval; no mRNA flu vaccine is approved anywhere yet.
CNN argues that extending healthy life may depend as much on preventing chronic disease as on aging‑themed tech; while CRISPR gene editing and mRNA vaccines offer promising avenues against aging‑linked diseases, both remain early‑stage. In the meantime, proven prevention—Mediterranean diet, regular aerobic and strength training, adequate sleep, and social connection—can add healthy years now.
After a turbulent year for funding and public trust, early-stage trials of mRNA cancer vaccines—including a personalized vaccine for pancreatic cancer—are showing strong immune responses and potential long-term benefit, with larger multisite trials and renewed NIH/NCI support underway, though funding and skepticism remain challenges.
An Australian tech entrepreneur used AI tools to help design a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine for his eight-year-old dog, Rosie, after mast cell tumors persisted post-surgery and chemotherapy. DNA sequencing of Rosie’s tumor identified mutations (neoantigens); AI helped select targets, and researchers at the University of New South Wales turned these into an experimental vaccine administered to Rosie, with several tumors shrinking and the dog showing improved energy. However, this is a single case, not a controlled study, so it cannot be taken as a cure and highlights the need for robust testing, ethical safeguards, and careful interpretation of AI-assisted results before broader use.
BioNTech co-founders Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci will leave the company by year’s end to form a new unnamed venture focused on next‑generation mRNA medicines, with BioNTech licensing some of its mRNA technology to the startup and taking a minority stake.
The FDA has agreed to review Moderna’s experimental mRNA flu vaccine after previously declining to file, with a decision due by August 5; Moderna seeks full approval for adults 50–64 and accelerated approval for 65+, contingent on a post‑marketing study, amid broader regulatory shifts and debate over vaccine oversight.
The FDA will review Moderna’s newly developed mRNA seasonal flu vaccine after a prior rejection over trial design, with no safety or efficacy concerns cited. Moderna says it has met with the FDA and proposed a revised regulatory pathway, seeking full approval for adults 50–64 and accelerated approval for 65+, potentially making the vaccine available for those 50+ in the 2026–2027 flu season if approved.
The FDA reversed its earlier decision and will review Moderna’s new mRNA flu vaccine for adults 50 and older, using a standard pathway for ages 50–64 and accelerated approval for those 65+, with a required post‑marketing study and a target review date of August 5.
Moderna’s mRNA influenza vaccine was not even considered by the FDA after a “refuse to file” ruling, despite earlier signals that its trial design was acceptable. The decision is described as coming from Vinay Prasad, an FDA appointee aligned with RFK Jr., who overruled career staff, signaling a broader shift under Kennedy’s leadership away from standard scientific processes. The piece warns this regulatory pivot could deter vaccine investment, undermine pandemic preparedness, and slow the development of future mRNA vaccines.
The FDA declined to review Moderna’s experimental mRNA flu vaccine, citing an allegedly inadequate trial design for adults 65 and older that used a standard-dose control instead of a high-dose option, prompting critics to allege an anti-vaccine agenda and a chilling effect on vaccine development; Moderna and its supporters argue the design was approved and that higher-dose controls should have informed the analysis.
MIT/Harvard researchers reprogrammed cellular vaults to bind and preserve mRNA, turning them into a living time capsule that records a cell’s gene-expression changes during stress and treatment, enabling retrospective insights without destroying the cell.