By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 The U.S. government has canceled a $600 million contract with Moderna to develop a vaccine for bird flu and other dangerous flu strains, raising concerns among experts.<\/p>\n
The deal, forged under the Biden administration, aimed to prepare for future flu pandemics by funding Moderna\u2019s work on a fast-acting vaccine using mRNA technology, STAT News <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n Moderna<\/a> had already started a Phase 1\/2 trial of its bird flu (H5N1) vaccine and reported strong early results.<\/p>\n The company said nearly 98% of participants developed protective antibody levels three weeks after receiving two doses, STAT News <\/em>added.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the termination of funding from HHS adds uncertainty, we are pleased by the robust immune response and safety profile observed in this interim analysis of the Phase 1\/2 study of our H5 avian flu vaccine and we will explore alternative paths forward for the program,\u201d Moderna CEO St\u00e9phane Bancel<\/a> said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThese clinical data in pandemic influenza underscore the critical role mRNA technology has played as a countermeasure to emerging health threats,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n But Andrew Nixon<\/a>, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) communications director, told STAT News <\/em>problems had emerged.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter a rigorous review, we concluded that continued investment in Moderna\u2019s H5N1 mRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Nixon pointed to safety concerns with mRNA vaccines and said the government wouldn\u2019t repeat what he described as mistakes made during COVID-19<\/a> vaccine efforts.<\/p>\n However, global data show that mRNA vaccines, including those used during the COVID pandemic, have been generally safe.<\/p>\n Some cases of heart inflammation (myocarditis) were seen in teen males, but the risk was also present after COVID infection itself. Those cases have since declined, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last month.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a huge mistake,\u201d said Rick Bright<\/a>, former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the agency that gave Moderna the funds.<\/p>\n “Much time, investment, and goodwill will be lost because of this short-sighted and politically charged decision,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Dr. Jesse Goodman<\/a>, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief scientist, predicted drug companies will be wary of working with the U.S. government in the future.<\/p>\n \u201cUnless there is a clear reason for terminating the funding, not only will we be left less prepared, potentially risking the lives of millions, but vaccine and other innovators will question the reliability of U.S. government investments and partnerships, and may think twice about engaging in public health efforts for which there is no clear reward in terms of a marketed product,\u201d Goodman said.<\/p>\n The canceled funding was aimed at helping Moderna develop vaccines for flu strains that could trigger a pandemic \u2014 such as H5N1 and H7N9, STAT News<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n The goal was to get these vaccines licensed and ready ahead of time so they could be quickly updated and produced in large quantities if needed. mRNA vaccines can be made much faster than traditional egg-based or cell-based vaccines.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a rapidly expanding pandemic, time matters. \u2026 The sooner the population is protected from a lethal virus the more lives that will be saved. Of its many features, what mRNA technology provided most is speed,\u201d Dr. Bruce Gellin<\/a>, a vaccine program director under two presidents, said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we lose our capability to respond as quickly as we can, we will sadly be able to calculate those who died because we made a decision that speed wasn\u2019t important,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n Currently, there are three licensed H5N1 vaccines made by other drug companies, STAT News<\/em> said.<\/p>\n However, they use older methods and cannot produce doses as fast as Moderna\u2019s mRNA approach.<\/p>\n Moderna, once valued at more than $215 billion, is now worth about $10 billion. The company\u2019s stock has fallen 83% in the past year, according to STAT News.<\/em><\/p>\n Earlier this month, Moderna said it no longer expects to get approval for a combined COVID-19 and flu shot this year.<\/p>\n The company said it may continue developing the bird flu vaccine on its own.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on bird flu<\/a>.<\/p>\n