Norovirus Vaccine

About Norovirus Vaccine

Norovirus vaccines target the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis. Norovirus causes approximately 685 million cases and 200,000 deaths annually. The virus is notorious for outbreaks on cruise ships, in nursing homes, and in restaurants. Norovirus has been difficult to study because it was long impossible to grow in standard cell culture. Takeda developed TAK 214, a virus like particle vaccine, which showed promising early results but a later infant efficacy trial did not meet its primary endpoint. Moderna is developing an mRNA norovirus vaccine. The diversity of norovirus strains, with multiple genogroups and genotypes, complicates vaccine design. A bivalent vaccine targeting the two most common genotypes GI 1 and GII 4 is the current approach. Norovirus vaccination would be particularly valuable for the elderly and immunocompromised.