Sanofi Pasteur Collaborates on mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate

Massachusetts-based Translate Bio and Sanofi Pasteur announced the start of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial for MRT5500, an mRNA vaccine candidate against the SARS-CoV-2 beta coronavirus. The Companies expect interim results from this trial in the third quarter of 2021.

A total of 415 healthy adults 18 years of age and older are expected to be enrolled in the trial across 13 investigational sites. Clinical trial participants will receive one dose of MRT5500 or two doses 21 days apart. Three different dose levels will be investigated (15µg, 45µg, or 135µg).

“Our mRNA vaccine candidate is the result of our expertise in infectious diseases coupled with the innovative technologies of our partner,” commented Thomas Triomphe, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Sanofi Pasteur, in a related press statement.

Preclinical data published in a non-peer-reviewed study during 2020 showed that two immunizations of the mRNA vaccine induced high neutralizing antibody levels comparable to the upper range of those observed in infected humans.

Translate Bio is a clinical-stage mRNA therapeutics company developing a new class of potentially transformative medicines to treat diseases caused by protein or gene dysfunction or to prevent infectious diseases by generating protective immunity.