Therapy Areas: Vaccines
Phase 1 Data Published in Nature Communications Show Potential of mRNA Encoding VEGF-A as a Regenerative Therapeutic
22 February 2019 - - US-based clinical stage biotechnology company Moderna, Inc., (NASDAQ: MRNA) has published a Phase 1a/b study in Nature Communications showing the potential of mRNA encoding for vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) as a regenerative therapeutic, the company said.

This approach aims to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, also known as angiogenesis, to improve blood flow in tissues where it is otherwise restricted.

The Phase 1a/b study, conducted with AstraZeneca, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in Europe of men with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The VEGF-A mRNA was delivered in a saline solution and was administered by intradermal injection into forearm skin in single ascending doses. The trial met its primary objectives of describing safety and tolerability and secondary objectives of protein production and changes in local blood flow post injection.

The study showed VEGF-A protein post injection of AZD8601 was increased above the pre-specified expected threshold, as measured by skin microdialysis.

At each sampling time, mean VEGFA protein levels, across all mRNA-treated sites from patients across all cohorts, were higher than that of placebo up to the 24-26 hour time point in the study.

The bioactivity of the VEGF-A protein post injection of AZD8601 was also observed by an increase in blood flow at injection sites up to seven days following a single injection, as measured by laser doppler imaging. The only treatment-related adverse events reported were mild injection-site reactions, and the treatment was overall well tolerated.

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, 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 ranked in the top ten of Science's list of top biopharma industry employers for the past four years.
Login
Username:

Password: