Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited has announced its decision to develop a genetic (mRNA) vaccine for the novel corona virus infection (hereinafter, COVID-19) in Japan.

Specifically, with regard to COVID-19 vaccine R&D, Daiichi Sankyo is currently participating in “Fundamental Research on the Control of a Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)" (Principal investigator: Prof. Yoshiro Kawaoka, Institute of Medical Sciences, The University of Tokyo) an initiative supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

In addition, using novel nucleic acid delivery technology developed by Daiichi Sankyo itself, it is taking part in a basic research project on a genetic (mRNA) vaccine with the title “Development of a Genetic Vaccine for 2019-nCoV”.

Recently, in a pharmacological evaluation of a prototype mRNA vaccine using animal models, the company achieved an increase in antibody titers to the novel coronavirus.

Leveraging this result, it will position the development of the mRNA vaccine as a priority project and start to consider an increase in scale toward establishing a supply system. At the same time, it aims to proceed to clinical studies around March 2021. 

The comapny plans to use the facilities of the “New Influenza Vaccine Development and Production System Development Project” to develop the supply system.