Everest Medicines (01952) rose more than 12% in morning trading, with shares up 12.37% as of press time to HK$33.26, on turnover of HK$162 million.

U.S. vaccine stocks rallied sharply last Friday, with Moderna surging over 14% to hit its highest level since January 2022. According to reports, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is preparing to launch a nationwide cancer vaccine research and development program, which will reference the rapid development model used for COVID-19 vaccines. Through government collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and research institutions, the initiative aims to accelerate vaccine R&D and clinical trials, with an expected official launch in December this year.

In August this year, Moderna and Merck's personalized mRNA cancer vaccine achieved positive Phase III clinical results, demonstrating the feasibility of mRNA in tumor treatment and prompting global capital markets to reassess the value of the sector.

It is worth noting that Everest Medicines recently announced the appointment of Dr. Lakshmi Srinivasan as Senior Vice President and Head of Translational Medicine, and Dr. Brandon Coder as Vice President of Translational Science and Early Research. Both new executives possess deep industry experience and professional backgrounds, having previously overseen cancer vaccine development at globally leading biopharmaceutical companies including Moderna, with complete hands-on experience spanning from early discovery to clinical translation and clinical development. This significant talent acquisition represents a key move by Everest Medicines to accelerate its global mRNA strategy.