US to Pay Moderna $176 Million for Pandemic Flu Vaccine Amid Bird Flu Concerns

Jul 8, 2024, 06:58 PM

The US government has agreed to pay Moderna $176 million to develop a pandemic flu vaccine. This move comes as part of a broader effort to prepare for potential future pandemics, including bird flu. Finland and fourteen other EU countries have also signed up to procure bird-flu vaccines. Additionally, Moderna and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma have entered a joint agreement to promote Moderna’s mRNA respiratory vaccine portfolio in Japan, which includes COVID-19 vaccines. Concerns are rising about the H5N2 and H5N1 viruses, with the NIAID involved in related research.