A researcher works in the laboratory at Moderna Inc. headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
Adam Glanzman | Bloomberg | Getty images
Norovirus is raging across the United States this winter. Modern Might have a vaccine for it soon.
A large phase three trial of the shot is underway, with results expected as soon as later this year or 2026. Moderna needs to see a certain number of cases before they can analyze the data and determine how well the vaccine works, putting the timeline into the timeline into the staging into the staging into the data. Flow. The 25,000-person study is enrolled ahead of schedule, said Doran Fink, Moderna's clinical therapeutic area for gastrointestinal and bacterial pathogens.
“I don't know if it's directly attributable to the increased incidence of norovirus this season, but we're clearly very interested in participating in this trial,” Fink said.
Norovirus is a nasty stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It is very contagious and can spread easily in nursing homes and Daycare centers and on cruise ships. It is generally a seasonal illness that is more common during the winter months.
This winter was particularly brutal. Twice as many norovirus tests are positive in January as last year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Norovirus outbreaks have increased 36% so far this season, according to the CDC.
There is currently no vaccine for norovirus. Like flu, there are many types of norovirus, making immunization against it challenging.
Moderna's vaccine candidate targets the three genotypes that the company says typically cause the most infections. It works by showing the immune system something that looks like norovirus but isn't contagious, so the body can learn how to fight back if the real thing hits.
The company's vaccine candidate does not contain the genotype that is causing the majority of this year's infections. One of the goals of the study is to see whether the vaccine protects against more types of norovirus than the shots that specifically targeted it, Fink said. He said mRNA vaccines offer an advantage because they can be easily optimized if necessary.
Moderna's goal is not to prevent people from getting norovirus entirely. That's a high bar for a vaccine, which is particularly difficult to achieve with norovirus because symptoms begin within 12 to 24 hours of exposure, Fink said. Instead, the goal is to make people feel a little less terrible and stop them from seeing a doctor or going to the hospital when they get it.
The company sees the main opportunity in vaccinating seniors, who are particularly vulnerable to norovirus complications such as dehydration. According to the CDC, people 65 and up make up the majority of the estimated 900 Americans who die from norovirus complications in the United States.
Moderna also sees health care workers, daycare providers and other teachers exposed as possible target populations with young children exposed. People going on cruises is another possibility, he said, as the virus can spread easily on ships where people live in close quarters.
Investors are wondering whether Moderna can turn the shot into a commercially viable opportunity – if the vaccines are available, of course, said RBC analyst Luca Issi. He sees the shot mostly being used to protect people living in nursing homes or going on cruises.
At this time, Moderna is not testing the vaccine in children who are also susceptible to norovirus. But if the shot works in adults, Moderna would be required to study it in children, Doran said.
