Moderna Named to CNBC Disruptor 50 List

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Moderna Therapeutics, the pioneer in developing messenger RNA (mRNA) Therapeutics™, today announced it was named to the 2014 CNBC Disruptor 50 list. CNBC recognizes Moderna as one of the top 50 companies whose innovations are having a dramatic impact across their industries, and are poised for hyper-growth. Moderna is considered a Disruptor 50 for its revolutionary mRNA Therapeutics technology platform, which has the potential to speed the development and manufacture of treatments for many diseases that are currently untreatable with existing technologies. 

Moderna is creating first-in-class in vivo medicines called mRNA Therapeutics. mRNA Therapeutics are designed to directly utilize the body's natural processes to enable the in vivo production of both intracellular proteins, which remain within the cells, and secreted proteins, which are released into the bloodstream and act to restore function elsewhere in the body. This is a quantum change in the way protein therapeutics are traditionally produced and used, and has the potential to transform the treatment of a broad range of diseases.

"We are proud to be recognized by CNBC as a Disruptor 50 for our technology platform and the work we are doing to speed the development and delivery of much-needed medicines to patients," said Stephane Bancel, president and founding chief executive officer. "Moderna is just three years old, yet we are moving quickly to deliver on the potential of our mRNA Therapeutics platform through our alliances with key industry leaders, substantial capital and rapid hiring of top scientists. We now have more than 170 talented team members to bring mRNA therapeutics to patients."

mRNA Therapeutics have unique advantages over other drug modalities, as they can be made and dosed with unprecedented ease and speed, reducing time and costs involved in the traditional drug development and manufacturing process:

• Proteins are produced in vivo, enabling the ability to go after undruggable targets using current small or large molecules.
• mRNA Therapeutics can be produced and tested in just weeks, expediting the process from concept to first-in-man studies in under a year.
• mRNA Therapeutics are made using a cell-free production process, enabling rapid, cost-effective GMP manufacturing.

Moderna – having signed strategic option agreements with AstraZeneca and Alexion Pharmaceuticals – already has several preclinical programs underway in cardiovascular, cancer, infectious diseases, and rare genetic diseases.

Moderna recently announced its expansion in Cambridge, Mass. to include a second office location at 320 Bent Street, bringing its total office space to about 100,000 square feet. The new office will house Moderna Venture laboratories, non-GMP production facilities and the relocated offices of Moderna's headquarters. The company's former headquarters at 200 Technology Square in Cambridge is now dedicated to research and development and counts an added floor for GMP manufacturing.

The CNBC Disruptor 50 finalists were selected with help from the National Venture Capital Association, which called for nominations from the leading venture capital firms and individual leaders in the venture capital world. More than 50 firms and individuals collectively submitted more than 500 companies for consideration, double the nominees received for the 2013 Disruptor 50 list.

Nominated companies were then put through a months-long process of researching and scoring, using a proprietary blend of quantitative criteria such as amount of venture capital raised and the estimated size of the company's addressable market, along with qualitative criteria, including originality and creating a new market or ecosystem.

For more information on Moderna Therapeutics, please visit modernatx.com.

About Moderna Therapeutics

Moderna is pioneering messenger RNA Therapeutics™, an entirely new in vivo drug modality that produces human proteins or antibodies inside patient cells, which are in turn secreted or active intracellularly. This breakthrough platform addresses currently undruggable targets and offers a superior alternative to existing drug modalities for a wide range of disease conditions. Moderna has developed a broad intellectual property estate, including more than 320 patent applications covering novel nucleotide chemistries and drug compositions. The company plans to develop and commercialize its innovative mRNA drugs through a combination of strategic relationships as well as newly formed ventures, like Onkaido LLC, its oncology Drug Development Company. Founded by Flagship VentureLabs, Cambridge-based Moderna is privately held and currently has strategic agreements with AstraZeneca and Alexion Pharmaceuticals. modernatx.com.

For information contact:
Maria Favorito, Feinstein Kean Healthcare
617-761-6720, [email protected]

SOURCE Moderna Therapeutics