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A revolution in healing
Stéphane Bancel (MBA 2000) is president and CEO of Moderna Therapeutics, which is producing a new drug application that could revolutionize the biotech world. It hinges on messenger RNA, or mRNA, the molecules responsible for transporting DNA code from a cell's nucleus to the ribosomes that create proteins. Moderna's mRNA Therapeutics gives patients' cells the code they need to begin creating their own proteins and antibodies to fight disease, allowing the body to heal itself.
"We believe we have a chance to do something transformational for society and for patients," says Bancel, who formerly was CEO of bioMérieux. He joined the company in 2011 after seeing impressive data indicating Moderna had found an entirely new way to treat rare diseases and cancer—using technology that was inexpensive to produce.
The company is winning some big supporters. In 2013, AstraZeneca entered into an agreement with Moderna for the development and exclusive use of the mRNA technology to treat cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases as well as cancer. Alexion and Moderna also have entered into an exclusive partnership for rare diseases using Moderna mRNA technology. In addition, the US government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Moderna funding to develop mRNA to combat infectious diseases and biological threats.
(Published April 2014)
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