US Government Partners with Moderna to Develop Pandemic Flu Vaccine Amid H5N1 Outbreak

The U.S. government has allocated $176 million to Moderna to work on an mRNA vaccine for pandemic influenza, as the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus spreads among U.S. dairy cattle. The funding is channeled through BARDA, under a new Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle Consortium aimed at enhancing pandemic preparedness.

Moderna initiated a Phase 1/2 trial for a pandemic influenza vaccine targeting H5 and H7 bird flu strains last year. The results of this trial are expected to guide a Phase 3 trial slated for 2025, with the funding supporting the development of a pre-pandemic H5 influenza vaccine.

Officials have expressed concerns over the H5N1 outbreak, which has affected over 135 herds in 12 states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the first cases in Texas and Kansas in March but anticipates further spread as containment efforts face challenges.

Experts have criticized the U.S. response to the outbreak, with Seth Berkley highlighting parallels to COVID-19 failures. Despite proactive measures by federal agencies, farmers’ resistance and insufficient participation pose significant hurdles to containing the virus.

The movement of animals and personnel between dairy farms emerged as a key transmission route for H5N1. While federal guidelines address interstate cow movement, intrastate regulations remain under state jurisdiction.

Concerns mount over the potential for H5N1 to jump to humans amidst rising infections among dairy workers. Despite limited public risk currently, testing has been minimal, raising alarms over undetected cases and the virus’s evolving ability to infect humans.

In response, HHS emphasized the urgency to bolster pandemic preparedness by incorporating mRNA technology into the flu response toolkit, underscoring the need for swift action against circulating strains and their variants.