U.S. Government cancels $766 million Moderna contract to fight pandemic flu
The Hindu
Trump administration cancels $766 million funding for Moderna's bird flu vaccine, despite promising interim trial results.
The Trump administration has cancelled $766 million awarded to drugmaker Moderna Inc. to develop a vaccine against potential pandemic influenza viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu.
The company said it was notified Wednesday (May 28, 2025) that the Health and Human Services Department had withdrawn funds awarded in July 2024 and in January to pay for the development and purchase of its investigational vaccine.
The funds were awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a program that focuses on medical treatments for potential pandemics.
The new vaccine, called mRNA-1018, utilises the same technology that enabled the rapid development and rollout of vaccines to combat COVID-19.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has expressed deep scepticism regarding mRNA vaccines, despite real-world evidence that the vaccines are safe and have saved millions of lives.
The cancelation came as Moderna announced positive interim results from an early-stage trial of the vaccine that targeted H5 bird flu virus, tested in 300 healthy adults.
“While the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile observed in this interim analysis," the company said in a statement.
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