The HHS has awarded Moderna $176 million to expand its capabilities to develop mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccines.
The funding comes as part of the government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, known as BARDA, which is a program under the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.
"If successfully developed, an mRNA-based licensed pandemic influenza vaccine could further improve response timelines should a new virus strain emerge and cause a pandemic, as happened with H1N1 in 2009," the HHS said in a July 2 announcement. "Efforts under this award are intended to establish a fourth platform option to the egg-, cell-, and recombinant protein-based approaches used for production of existing, licensed influenza vaccines."
Moderna will use the funding to secure its large-scale, commercial mRNA-based manufacturing platforms and to "support late-stage development for an mRNA-based vaccine to enable the licensure of a pre-pandemic vaccine against H5 influenza virus," according to a July 2 news release.
Right now, Moderna is in the middle of a phase 1/2 trial of vaccine candidates against H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses. It expects to announce results sometime before the end of 2024.
While the immediate focus will be on vaccine candidates against H5 influenza, as public health authorities like the CDC continue to track its spread throughout the U.S., Moderna will also be tasked with developing other influenza vaccine candidates as well, under the terms.
Under the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response Act, there is also a fair pricing agreement to ensure access to vaccines for all in the event of a public health emergency.