Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration has terminated over $700 million in funding allocated to Moderna for the late-stage development and procurement rights of its bird flu vaccine, the pharmaceutical company confirmed.
Earlier this year, in January, the Biden administration awarded Moderna $590 million to advance its bird flu vaccine development and to expand clinical trials to cover up to five additional pandemic influenza subtypes. This allocation was part of broader efforts to enhance pandemic preparedness.
Prior to that, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had granted Moderna $176 million last year to complete late-stage testing of a pre-pandemic mRNA vaccine targeting the H5N1 avian influenza virus.
Despite the cancellation, Moderna has reported positive interim results from a mid-stage clinical trial assessing the safety and immunogenicity of its bird flu vaccine targeting the H5 subtype. The company is now exploring alternative pathways to continue the vaccine's development and manufacturing.
This move reflects a significant shift in federal support for pandemic influenza vaccine development, coming amid evolving government pandemic response strategies.
