WASHINGTON: The US government has awarded $176 million to Moderna to advance development of its mRNA-based vaccine against H5N1 avian influenza, the company said on Tuesday, as fears grow over a multi-state outbreak of bird flu virus in dairy cows and infections of three dairy workers since March.
This funding, provided by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), aims to support late-stage development and testing of the vaccine.
The agreement between Moderna and BARDA includes provisions for additional options to enhance preparedness and responsiveness to future public health threats, Moderna stated in a press release. The funding comes at a critical time following reports of the H5N1 virus infecting more than 130 herds across 12 states since its initial detection in dairy cattle earlier this year.
Scientists and health officials are particularly concerned about the potential for the virus to mutate and acquire the ability to spread easily among humans, which could lead to a pandemic.
Moderna’s vaccine, mRNA-1018, utilizes messenger RNA technology similar to that used in its COVID-19 vaccine. The company began a safety and immunogenicity study last year involving healthy adults aged 18 and older, targeting both the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian flu. Results from this study are expected later this year and will inform the next steps in the vaccine’s development.
According to Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel, mRNA vaccine technology offers several advantages over traditional methods, including enhanced efficacy, faster development timelines, scalability, and reliability. These attributes were pivotal during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the technology’s potential in responding to infectious disease outbreaks.
Conventional flu vaccines, typically produced using cell or egg-based technologies, require a longer production timeline of four to six months. In contrast, mRNA vaccines can be developed and manufactured more swiftly, which is crucial for responding promptly to emerging infectious threats.
