5 March 2021 - - Japan-based biopharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (NYSE: TAK) has submitted a New Drug Application to the government of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to import and distribute US-based biotechnology company Moderna, Inc's (NASDAQ: MRNA) vaccine candidate against COVID-19 (mRNA-1273 or TAK-919) in Japan, Moderna said.

TAK-919 is Takeda's development code for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Takeda is conducting a placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 study designed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of two vaccinations of mRNA-1273 at the 100 μg dose level given 28 days apart in 200 participants aged 20 years and above in Japan.

Participants will be followed through 12 months after the second vaccination. The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is NCT04677660. 

Takeda completed enrollment of this Phase 1/2 study in February, 2021. Once available, the Phase 1/2 study results will be submitted to the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency.

Takeda and Moderna previously announced that Takeda will import and distribute 50 m doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate starting in the first half of 2021, pending licensure in Japan.