27 October 2020 - - The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom has started the rolling review process of mRNA-1273, US-based biotechnology company Moderna, Inc's (NASDAQ: MRNA) vaccine candidate against COVID-19, the company said.

This announcement follows positive results from a preclinical viral challenge study of mRNA-1273 and the positive interim analysis of the Phase 1 study of mRNA-1273 in adults (ages 18-55 years) and older adults (ages 56-70 and 71+) published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Moderna has initiated the rolling submission of mRNA-1273 data for rolling review, in consideration of a potential authorization by the MHRA, provided the vaccine candidate meets the MHRA's rigorous standards of safety, effectiveness, and quality standards.

This rolling review process allows the MHRA to begin its independent assessment using the information submitted by Moderna and accept new evidence as it becomes available until the application is deemed complete.

This process can reduce time to authorization while maintaining usual high standards of safety, efficacy, and quality.

The Phase 1 interim analysis showed that mRNA-1273 was generally well-tolerated across all age groups and induced rapid and strong immune responses against SARS-CoV-2.

mRNA-1273 is currently being studied in a Phase 3 randomized, 1: 1 placebo-controlled trial of 30,000 participants at the 100 µg dose level in the US On Thursday, October 22, Moderna completed enrollment of the Phase 3 COVE study.

Moderna is advancing messenger RNA science to create a new class of transformative medicines for patients.

mRNA medicines are designed to direct the body's cells to produce intracellular, membrane or secreted proteins that can have a therapeutic or preventive benefit and have the potential to address a broad spectrum of diseases.

The company's platform builds on continuous advances in basic and applied mRNA science, delivery technology and manufacturing, providing Moderna the capability to pursue in parallel a robust pipeline of new development candidates.

Moderna is developing therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases and cardiovascular diseases, independently and with strategic collaborators.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Moderna currently has strategic alliances for development programs with AstraZeneca PLC and Merck and Co., Inc., as well as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency of the US Department of Defense, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division of the Office of the Assistant secretary for Preparedness and Response within the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Moderna has been named a top biopharmaceutical employer by Science for the past five years.