CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Moderna, Inc.. (Nasdaq: MRNA), a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, today announced that it has submitted for a variation to the conditional marketing authorization (CMA) with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the evaluation of a 50 µg two-dose series of mRNA-1273¹ in children ages 6-11 years.

“We are pleased to announce the submission of this variation to the EMA for use of our COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 6-11 in the European Union. This marks our first submission for the use of our vaccine in this age group,” said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna. “We are encouraged that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the 50 µg dose level helped prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in children. We plan to submit these data to other regulatory agencies around the world to protect this important younger age population with our COVID-19 vaccine.”

The Phase 2 “KidCOVE” study of mRNA-1273 in pediatric population ages 6 months to under 12 years is ongoing. Moderna recently shared new data from the KidCOVE study of mRNA-1273 in children ages 6 years to under 12 years. Vaccine efficacy of 100% using the P301 primary case definition for COVID-19 was observed two weeks after the first dose of mRNA-1273 at the 50 µg dose level. Additionally, for asymptomatic infection two weeks after the first dose, vaccine efficacy was 65% (95% CI: .16, .85). For SARS-CoV-2 infection regardless of symptoms, vaccine efficacy was 80% (95% CI: .62, .90) two weeks after the first dose. On October 24, the Company announced positive top line top line data from the Phase 2/3 study of mRNA-1273 in children 6 to under 12 years of age. Geometric mean ratio (GMR) comparing the response in children to the response in young adults from the Phase 3 COVE study was 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.8), with a seroresponse rate of 99.3%. Two 50 μg doses of mRNA-1273 were generally well tolerated².

The KidCOVE study is a randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled expansion study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, reactogenicity and effectiveness of two 50 µg doses of mRNA-1273 given to healthy children 28 days apart. The study population is divided into 3 age groups (6 to <12 years, 2 to <6 years, and 6 months to <2 years).

The study is being conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is NCT04796896.

On July 23, 2021, the EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) to include adolescents 12 years of age and older.

About Moderna

In 10 years since its inception, Moderna has transformed from a science research-stage company advancing programs in the field of messenger RNA (mRNA), to an enterprise with a diverse clinical portfolio of vaccines and therapeutics across six modalities, a broad intellectual property portfolio in areas including mRNA and lipid nanoparticle formulation, and an integrated manufacturing plant that allows for both clinical and commercial production at scale and at unprecedented speed. Moderna maintains alliances with a broad range of domestic and overseas government and commercial collaborators, which has allowed for the pursuit of both groundbreaking science and rapid scaling of manufacturing. Most recently, Moderna’s capabilities have come together to allow the authorized use of one of the earliest and most effective vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moderna’s mRNA platform builds on continuous advances in basic and applied mRNA science, delivery technology and manufacturing, and has allowed the development of therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular diseases and auto-immune diseases. Moderna has been named a top biopharmaceutical employer by Science for the past seven years. To learn more, visit www.modernatx.com.

AUTHORIZED USE IN THE EU

Spikevax ▼ (COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna) has been granted conditional marketing authorisation by the European Commission for active immunisation to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 in individuals 12 years of age and older.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

• Do not administer Spikevax to individuals with a known history of severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to any component of Spikevax.
  
• Appropriate medical treatment to manage immediate allergic reactions must be immediately available in the event an acute anaphylactic reaction occurs following administration of Spikevax. Monitor Spikevax recipients for the occurrence of immediate adverse reactions according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/managing-anaphylaxis.html).
  
• Postmarketing data demonstrate increased risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly within 7 days following the second dose.
  
• Syncope (fainting) may occur in association with administration of injectable vaccines. Procedures should be in place to avoid injury from fainting.
  
• Immunocompromised persons, including individuals receiving immunosuppressive therapy, may have a diminished response to Spikevax.
  
• Spikevax may not protect all vaccine recipients.
  
• Adverse reactions reported in clinical trials following administration of Spikevax include pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, chills, nausea/vomiting, axillary swelling/tenderness, fever, swelling at the injection site, and erythema at the injection site, and rash.
  
• Anaphylaxis and other severe allergic reactions, myocarditis, pericarditis, and syncope have been reported following administration of Spikevax during mass vaccination outside of clinical trials.
  
• Available data on Spikevax administered to pregnant women are insufficient to inform vaccine-associated risks in pregnancy. Data are not available to assess the effects of Spikevax on the breastfed infant or on milk production/excretion.
  
• Additional adverse reactions, some of which may be serious, may become apparent with more widespread use of Spikevax.
  
• The black equilateral triangle denotes that additional monitoring is required to capture any adverse reactions. This will allow quick identification of new safety information. Individuals can help by reporting any side effects they may get. Side effects can be reported to EudraVigilance (https://www.adrreports.eu/) or directly to Moderna using email EMEAMedinfo@modernatx.com.
  

For complete information on the safety of Spikevax, always make reference to the approved Summary of Product Characteristics and Package Leaflet available in all the languages of the European Union on the EMA website.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including regarding: the Company’s development of a vaccine against COVID-19 (mRNA-1273); the Company’s application for, and potential authorization of, the administration of mRNA-1273 in children ages 6 to 11 years old in the European Union; the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 at preventing infection with COVID-19 and the safety and tolerability of mRNA-1273 in pediatric populations; and the conduct of clinical trials for mRNA-1273 in pediatric populations. The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond Moderna’s control and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include those other risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in Moderna’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in subsequent filings made by Moderna with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as required by law, Moderna disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in the event of new information, future developments or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are based on Moderna’s current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof.

¹BARDA, part of ASPR within the U.S. HHS is supporting the continued research and development of the Company’s COVID-19 vaccine development efforts with federal funding under contract no. 75A50120C00034 BARDA is reimbursing Moderna for 100 percent of the allowable costs incurred by the Company for conducting the program described in the BARDA contract. The U.S. government has agreed to purchase supply of mRNA-1273 under U.S. Department of Defense contract no. W911QY-20-C-0100.

² https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-announces-positive-top-line-data-phase-23-study-covid-19

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