mRNA combos from BioNTech, Moderna; plus new CRISPR nucleases and more

BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) and Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) separately revealed data last week for mRNA combination programs in cancer and respiratory disease, respectively. In Science Translational Medicine, BioNTech and partner Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NASDAQ:SNY) highlighted preclinical data supporting Phase I cancer candidate SAR441000 (BNT131), a mixture of mRNAs encoding four cytokines identified to drive tumor regression. In mouse models of melanoma and colorectal cancer, the mRNA cocktail encoding IL-12 single chain, GM-CSF, IL-15 sushi and IFNA4 reduced tumor burden, extended survival and increased sensitivity to anti-PD-1 therapy. SAR441000 is being tested as a therapy for solid tumors as monotherapy and with Libtayo cemiplimab-rwlc, a marketed anti-PD-1 mAb from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN).

Moderna unveiled at its annual R&D day on Thursday three new combination vaccines for respiratory disease and shared data for one of them, which combines six mRNAs against three different viruses. In mice, the triple vaccine covering COVID-19, flu and RSV induced IgG titers at day 36 that were comparable to the component vaccines. The other two products are mRNA-1073, a combined COVID-19 and flu vaccine, and mRNA-1365, a pediatric vaccine covering RSV and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Moderna’s existing pipeline includes mRNA-2752, a triplet mRNA therapy encoding IL-23, IL-36γ and OX40L being tested in a Phase I trial for solid tumors and lymphoma, for which an update is expected at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer meeting in November...