Researchers from Tohoku University launched the study in 1986 under Professor Yutaka Imai in response to the high burden of hypertension and stroke in Ohasama, Iwate Prefecture.
The team chemically synthesised nearly 300 of the AI-generated genomes and tested them in laboratory conditions, with sixteen of the resulting viruses proving viable.
The Phase 1 study forms part of an expanded collaboration between Moderna and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).