Moderna debuts, unveils mRNA platform

Moderna Therapeutics Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.) emerged from stealth mode on Thursday with a pipeline of 24 modified mRNA therapeutic programs in preclinical development and said it has raised more than $40 million since its inception last year. The funding was led by Flagship Ventures and private investors. President and CEO Stephane Bancel declined to disclose funding details, but said it will take the company through Phase I testing for its first undisclosed rare disease program. Bancel, formerly CEO of bioMerieux S.A. (Euronext:BIM), declined to say when the company plans to start Phase I testing. Moderna came out of Flagship's VentureLabs incubator. ...