Moderna stock jumps after Science Day spotlights in vivo CAR-T

Moderna shares rose roughly 10% on Friday after the company’s Science Day presentation. The stock has climbed about 40% over the past month, outpacing the broader market.

At the investor event, Moderna outlined a longer-term strategy to expand beyond its COVID-19 vaccine business into oncology, autoimmune disorders and next-generation mRNA therapies. Executives divided the development plan into three “horizons,” with the first focused on existing commercial products and late-stage programs and later horizons on earlier-stage candidates and platform innovations.

Moderna introduced mRNA-6007 as its first in vivo CAR-T candidate and said it will begin clinical development in 2027. The program is initially aimed at B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus. In vivo CAR-T therapies are designed to modify patients’ T cells inside the body rather than extracting, engineering and reinfusing cells in a lab, a process used in traditional ex vivo CAR-T treatments.

The company also presented oncology and immunology candidates, including T-cell engagers directed at multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer. Moderna announced a cancer prevention program, mRNA-4194, for people with Lynch syndrome. It reported progress on mRNA-1195, an Epstein-Barr virus therapeutic vaccine being developed as a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis, with early data expected in late 2026.

Moderna’s influenza candidate, mRNA-1010, received a unanimous 9-0 vote from an FDA advisory committee recommending use for adults 50 and older. A regulatory decision on that vaccine is scheduled for Aug. 5, 2026. Company materials and analyst notes projected an expansion of marketed products beyond the company’s current portfolio of three vaccines.

Wall Street analysts reacted to the Science Day details. Piper Sandler raised its price target to $77 from $69 and maintained an Overweight rating. Jefferies analyst Andrew Tsai raised his price target to $53 from $45 and maintained a Hold rating, noting that upcoming Phase III melanoma data is a larger near-term catalyst. Jefferies analysts estimated Moderna could have more than seven products across respiratory, oncology and rare disease indications within the next two years.

Moderna launched its first commercial product, the Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine, in 2020. The company framed the Science Day presentation as part of an effort to build a broader set of mRNA-based therapies beyond infectious disease.