The Maryland-based US biotech, one of the leading Covid-19 vaccine makers, said its efforts will include prototype vaccines against the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (a corona virus), as well as the Ebola and Marburg viruses, a tick-borne virus that causes Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and mosquito-borne viruses such as chikungunya and dengue fever.

In a statement, CEO Stéphane Bancel said the company aims to complete preliminary dose- and safety-testing for vaccines preemptively, so that large human efficacy trials can be ramped up promptly when needed. Knowing the appropriate dose for a vaccine can save time when a new virus emerges, if vaccines have already been tested against closely-related viruses, he added.

Moderna has already begun trials for vaccines against two of the priority pathogens, HIV and Zika virus, while development of a vaccine for Nipah, a deadly bat-borne virus that causes periodic outbreaks in Asia, is in the laboratory stage. The biotech also plans to look at malaria and tuberculosis.

Under the name mRNA Access, Moderna additionally plans to license its technology to explore new vaccines against emerging or neglected infectious disease. “We are committed to bringing the full force of our mRNA vaccine platform to combat infectious diseases of public health concern and we look forward working with global partners to be part of the solution to prevent future pandemics and help millions of people around the world,” Bancel said.

As regards its Spikevax Covid-19 program, Moderna said it is expanding its pledge to never enforce its patents in the Gavi Covax AMC scheme for 92 low- and middle-income countries.

The company is also moving toward establishing its Covid vaccine in Africa. With the backing of the US government, it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Kenya to establish its first African mRNA manufacturing facility, which could make up to 500 million vaccine doses annually. The $500 million facility, it said, is expected to include drug substance manufacturing with the opportunity for fill & finish and packaging capabilities at the site.

Moderna – as well as the Pfizer/BioNTech partnership – has been criticized for its perceived foot dragging in giving Africa access to its Covid vaccine. BioNTech recently launched a turnkey solution that allows supply of vaccine production and formulation processes in separate containers, with fill-and-finish being handled by local partners. The system, the German biotech said, could be extended to its investigational malaria and tuberculosis vaccines, if they are successful.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist