First-Generation mRNA Flu Vaccines Unlikely to Succeed: Sanofi Shifts Strategy Toward Next-Gen Platforms

The most well-known companies in the mRNA vaccine field, such as Moderna, Pfizer, and CureVac, are all developing mRNA flu vaccines. However, Sanofi recently stated bluntly at a vaccine investor event that the "first-generation mRNA flu vaccines will not win," and announced that Sanofi is planning to develop more advanced candidate mRNA flu vaccines to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies.

At this event, vaccine giant Sanofi presented the trial data of its hemagglutinin-based mRNA flu vaccine alongside its already approved quadrivalent flu vaccine, Fluzone. Similar to the clinical trial data of Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine released earlier this year, Sanofi's mRNA flu vaccine performed well against influenza A viruses but showed poor efficacy against influenza B viruses.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which made mRNA vaccine companies incredibly profitable, has passed. Moderna, Pfizer, and others have already shifted their focus to flu vaccines. Meanwhile, other vaccine giants that lagged behind in the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine race, as well as new players in the mRNA field, are also flooding into the flu vaccine market, hoping to seize a share of this potentially $10 billion-per-year industry within this decade, where outcomes are still far from settled.

In August 2021, Sanofi announced the acquisition of Translate Bio, an mRNA vaccine development company, for $3.2 billion to address its lag in the mRNA vaccine field. After the acquisition, Sanofi prioritized the advancement of its mRNA flu vaccine project.

In April 2023, Moderna was the first to announce the Phase 3 clinical trial results of its mRNA influenza vaccine mRNA-1010. The results showed that mRNA-1010 performed well against the influenza A virus but poorly against the influenza B virus.

This result is similar to what Sanofi announced recently. Sanofi stated that it needs to find a more comprehensive solution to ensure that the mRNA vaccine provides better protection against influenza B. However, Sanofi also indicated that its candidate mRNA flu vaccine performed well against influenza A viruses and showed fewer adverse reactions compared to competitors, which means that Sanofi has a competitive mRNA platform.

But Sanofi executives said that even if the first generation of mRNA vaccines obtains a market license, it will not be commercially successful.

Two years ago, Sanofi's $2.8 billion acquisition and subsequent billions of dollars invested in the mRNA strategy now appear to be almost a failure. However, Sanofi will continue to focus on the development of next-generation mRNA flu vaccines. As for how to address the current issue of mRNA flu vaccines being less effective against the influenza B virus, Sanofi remains tight-lipped.

Sanofi stated that its competitors have not disclosed how they address this issue. Sanofi has a solution but will not share it at this time. Moreover, Sanofi has not limited mRNA technology to influenza; its therapeutic mRNA vaccine for acne will enter Phase 1/2 clinical trials this year, and an mRNA vaccine targeting chlamydia is also under investigation.

Notably, on June 13, 2023, Sanofi announced its "All In" commitment to artificial intelligence and data science, accelerating breakthroughs for patients.

Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson stated, "Our goal is to become the first pharmaceutical company to use artificial intelligence on a large scale, providing our employees with tools and technologies that focus on insights, enabling them to make better daily decisions. The use of artificial intelligence and data science has already supported our teams' efforts in accelerating drug discovery, enhancing clinical trial design, and improving the manufacturing and supply of drugs and vaccines. We have only just scratched the surface regarding how to leverage these disruptive technologies to achieve our ambition of transforming medical practice."