Moderna/DARPA: First human Phase 1 trial using “mRNA therapeutic”

On September 12, 2019 Moderna announced study findings from their first ever human trial using a “mRNA therapeutic”, mRNA-1944, to encode the antibody protein, CHKV-24, for chikungunya “a mosquito-borne virus that poses a significant public health problem in tropical and subtropical regions”. [1, 2, 3, 4]

“These exciting data demonstrate a new way to address infectious diseases that uses mRNA to make antibodies in humans, establishing a powerful technology that could be deployable in a pandemic setting.”was commented in the press release.  ‘[T]he results of this clinical trial validate that approach” DARPA representative stated.

Sponsored by US DARPA, the trial protocol was was first posted on Clinical Trials on February 4, 2019, taking 7 months to complete Phase 1 of the trial in 22 healthy adults, of which 6 received the placebo.

Phase 1 trial was “paused” in May 2020 due to the pandemic.