Start of a Japanese Clinical Study of TAK-919, Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate

- Administration of Moderna’s vaccine candidate to the first subject in a Japanese clinical study

Osaka, JAPAN, January 21, 2021 - Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (“Takeda”) has initiated a clinical phase 1/2 study in Japan of TAK-919, Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate. TAK-919 is the Japanese development code for Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine candidate. This study is a placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the mRNA-1273 vaccine in 200 adult subjects. The first subject in the clinical study received the vaccine today.

More detailed information about this study is available at ClinicalTrials.gov (only available in English) and the Takeda website (only available in Japanese).

As announced on October 29, 2020, Takeda will import and distribute 50 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273 (TAK-919), starting in the first half of 2021, pending licensure in Japan.