OPKO Health's (OPK) ModeX Therapeutics subsidiary launched phase 1 clinical trials for an Epstein-Barr virus vaccine candidate in partnership with Merck (MRK).
The first participant was dosed in the MDX2201 study, which will assess safety and tolerability in up to 200 healthy adults, ModeX said Tuesday in a statement, and this stage triggers an undisclosed cash milestone payment to ModeX from Merck.
The vaccine candidate targets multiple viral proteins to stimulate immunity against EBV, which causes infectious mononucleosis and is linked to various cancers and multiple sclerosis.
OPKO shares rose 4.1% in recent Tuesday trading, and Merck gained 2.7%.
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