Overview

• On May 28, HHS officially terminated its contract with Moderna that had funded the development, testing, and licensing of an H5N1 bird flu vaccine.
• The funding, granted through BARDA, included a $176 million award in 2024 and a $590 million follow-up in January 2025.
• The cancellation follows Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s deep skepticism of mRNA technology voiced during a review of the agreement earlier this year.
• Moderna reported robust immune responses and a strong safety profile in interim results from its Phase 1/2 H5N1 trial and said it will explore alternative paths forward.
• Pandemic preparedness experts warned that discontinuing mRNA-based flu solutions could slow the U.S. response to emerging influenza threats.