Sick of the stomach bug? Moderna is making a norovirus vaccine – National [Video]

As cases of the dreaded norovirus surge across Canada and the United States, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon: researchers are making strides toward developing a vaccine for the stomach virus.

The American pharmaceutical company Moderna is developing an mRNA-based vaccine candidate for norovirus, designated as mRNA-1403. This vaccine is designed to protect against multiple norovirus genotypes by instructing cells to produce virus-like particles that stimulate an immune response without causing infection, the company said in a September 2024 media release.

“Norovirus is a significant public health concern that affects millions of people worldwide each year, leading to severe symptoms and, in some cases, hospitalization,” said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna in the release.

“By advancing our investigational norovirus vaccine into a pivotal Phase 3 trial, we are one step closer to potentially providing a new tool to prevent infection from this highly contagious virus, which places a significant burden on health systems globally.”