Translate Bio, Inc. announced the start of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial for MRT5500, an mRNA vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Translate Bio received a $25 million payment from Sanofi Pasteur based on achievement of this milestone. Interim results from this trial are expected in the third quarter of 2021. Additionally, there is ongoing preclinical work evaluating MRT5500 as well as other constructs against the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants to inform the incorporation of variant strains into current or future development plans.