A researcher works in the laboratory at Moderna Inc. headquarters on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Adam Glanzman | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The norovirus is sweeping across the US this winter. Modern maybe a vaccine for it soon.
A major phase three trial of the shot is underway, with results not expected until later this year or 2026. Moderna needs to see a certain number of cases before it can analyze the data and determine how well the vaccine works, indicating the timeline. current. The 25,000-person study is enrolling ahead of schedule, said Doran Fink, chief of Moderna's clinical therapeutics division for gastrointestinal and bacterial pathogens.
“I don't know if it's directly attributable to the increased incidence of norovirus this season, but we clearly have a lot of interest in participating in this trial,” Fink said.
Norovirus is a nasty stomach bacterium that causes vomiting and diarrhea. It is highly contagious and can spread easily in nursing homes daycare centers and on cruise ships. It is generally a seasonal disease that is more common in the winter months.
This winter has been particularly brutal. Twice as many norovirus tests are coming back positive in January than the same time last year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Norovirus outbreaks were up 36% so far this season as of Dec. 11, according to the CDC.
There is currently no vaccine against norovirus. Like influenza, there are many types of noroviruses, making immunization against them a challenge.
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 virus strikes.
The company's vaccine candidate does not include the genotype causing the majority of this year's infections. One of the goals of the study is to see if the vaccine protects against more types of norovirus than the shot specifically targets, Fink said. He said mRNA vaccines offer an advantage because they can be easily modified if necessary.
Moderna's goal is not to prevent people from getting norovirus completely. That's a high bar for any vaccine, and one that's especially difficult to reach 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 horrible and avoid having to see a doctor or go to the hospital if they do get it.
The company sees the biggest opportunity in vaccinating seniors who are particularly vulnerable to norovirus complications such as dehydration. According to the CDC, people age 65 and older make up the majority of the estimated 900 Americans dying in the U.S. from norovirus complications.
Moderna also sees health care workers, daycare workers and other teachers who come into contact with young children as possible target groups, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said at the JP Morgan Health Care Conference last week. People going on cruises is another possibility, he said, because the virus can easily spread on ships where people live in cramped quarters.
Investors are wondering whether Moderna can turn this opportunity into a commercially viable one — if the vaccine works, of course, says RBC analyst Luca Issi. He sees the shot being mainly 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 vulnerable to norovirus. But if the shot works in adults, Moderna would be required to study it in children, Doran said.