Moderna Says First Participant Dosed In Phase 1/2 Study Of COVID-19 Vaccine In Japan

(RTTNews) - Moderna Inc. (MRNA) said Thursday that the first participant has been dosed in the Phase 1/2 study of the company's vaccine candidate against COVID-19 (mRNA-1273 or TAK-919) in Japan, led by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.

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

According to the company, the placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 study will evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of two vaccinations of mRNA-1273 given 28 days apart.

Takeda plans to enroll 200 participants aged 20 years and above in Japan. Each participant will be assigned to receive a placebo or a 100 µg dose at both vaccinations. Participants will be followed through 12 months after the second vaccination, Moderna said. .

Previously, the companies said that Takeda will import and distribute 50 million doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine candidate starting in the first half of 2021.

Moderna received authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine from regulatory authorities in the United States, Canada, Israel, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Additional authorizations are currently under review in other countries and by the World Health Organization.