The Trump administration has rescinded $766 million in funding previously awarded to pharmaceutical company Moderna Inc. for the development of a vaccine aimed at protecting against potential pandemic influenza viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu strain.
The company announced on Wednesday that it received notification from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the withdrawal of funds. These funds, totaling $176 million awarded in July 2024 and an additional $590 million in January, were intended to support the development and purchase of Moderna’s investigational vaccine.
The funding was provided through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a government program focused on facilitating the development of medical countermeasures for potential pandemic threats.
Moderna’s investigational vaccine, designated mRNA-1018, utilizes the same messenger RNA (mRNA) technology that was instrumental in the rapid development and deployment of vaccines against COVID-19.
This funding cancellation occurs amidst a backdrop of skepticism towards mRNA vaccines expressed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite substantial real-world evidence demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines in saving millions of lives during the recent pandemic.
The announcement of the funding withdrawal coincided with Moderna’s release of positive interim results from an early-stage clinical trial involving approximately 300 healthy adults. This trial assessed the safety and immunogenicity of the mRNA-1018 vaccine specifically targeting the H5 avian influenza virus.
In a statement, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel acknowledged the uncertainty created by the HHS funding termination but expressed satisfaction with the “robust immune response and safety profile” observed in the interim analysis. He added that the company would “explore alternatives” to secure funding for the continued development and manufacturing of the vaccine, according to a report by French news agency AFP. Bancel also emphasized the “critical role mRNA technology has played as a countermeasure to emerging health threats,” as cited by AFP.
Moderna, in a statement provided to KFF Health News in March, highlighted the extensive research into mRNA’s medical potential over three decades, which culminated in the rapid development of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines that significantly altered the course of the pandemic. The company underscored that with over a billion doses distributed globally and substantial real-world safety and efficacy data, the benefits of mRNA vaccination are well-established.
Dr. Ashish Jha, a public health expert who served as the COVID-19 response coordinator under former President Joe Biden, commented on the funding withdrawal via social media, stating, “This move puts the lives of Americans at risk. The attack on mRNA vaccines is beyond absurd. It was President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed that gave us mRNA vaccines. If Bird Flu starts spreading from people to people, we will come to regret this as the day we decided to put the lives of the American people at grave risk.”
H5N1 bird flu viruses were detected in U.S. wild birds and subsequently spread to cattle last year, infecting hundreds of animals across several states. While the number of human cases in the U.S. has been relatively low, with at least 70 individuals affected, the majority of these infections have been mild. Tragically, one fatality has been reported. Scientists are concerned about the potential for continued mutation of the virus, which could enable it to become more virulent or facilitate easier transmission among humans, raising the possibility of triggering a pandemic.
The now-canceled funding included $176 million awarded to Moderna in July 2024 and an additional $590 million in January. A company spokesman indicated that the January award was specifically intended to support a late-stage clinical trial designed to determine the vaccine’s effectiveness against pandemic influenza viruses, including avian influenza
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