Sanofi ends development of its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine
Sanofi will not take its messenger RNA vaccine to phase 3 trials. The laboratory will continue developing its other candidate, a recombinant protein vaccine.
Sanofi will not proceed to phase 3 trials for its messenger RNA vaccine against COVID-19, the final stage before commercialisation. The laboratory said on Tuesday that it would instead continue developing its other candidate, a recombinant protein vaccine against the virus.
It had been awaited — and was already late — after those of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Sanofi explained on Tuesday 28 September that it would not run phase 3, despite interim results that had been considered encouraging.
The decision illustrates how quickly a market can close. By late 2021 the question for a new entrant was no longer whether a vaccine worked, but whether there was still unmet demand for it by the time it reached approval.