Moderna Teams Up With Chinese Biotech To Assess Cell-Based Therapy And Cancer Vaccine Combo

A Chinese biotech, CARsgen Therapeutics and Moderna Inc MRNA have collaborated to investigate CARsgen's investigational Claudin18.2 CAR T-cell product candidate (CT041) in combination with Moderna's investigational Claudin18.2 mRNA cancer vaccine.

The Chinese biotech is developing CT041, also known as satricabtagene autoleucel, as a Claudin18.2-focused CAR-T for gastric, pancreatic, and other digestive system cancers. 

The two companies are to "contemplate conducting preclinical studies and a phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate CT041 in combination with Moderna's Claudin18.2 mRNA cancer vaccine."

"Claudin18.2 is a promising therapeutic target to potentially treat multiple cancer types with high unmet medical need," Moderna's chief scientific officer of external research ventures Lin Guey, Ph.D., said in this morning's release.

Attacking tumors with CAR T-cell therapy in combination with a cancer vaccine could potentially provide greater clinical benefit to patients," Combining Moderna's "off the shelf" cancer vaccine with a CAR-T therapy "could potentially provide greater clinical benefit to patients" with tumors, CARsgen CEO and Chief Scientific Officer Zonghai Li, said.

Moderna and Merck & Co Inc MRK have already collaborated on an mRNA cancer vaccine that has shown promising results. 

In June, the companies presented Phase II high-risk skin cancer data that noted a combination of a custom cancer vaccine and Keytruda significantly reduced the risk of developing deadly metastases by 65% compared to patients taking Keytruda alone.

Data released in April showed that the combo reduced the recurrence of high-risk melanoma or death by 44%.

Price Action: MRNA shares are up 8.32% at $110.07 on the last check Monday.