Overview

• The wind-down affects nearly $500 million of BARDA mRNA vaccine investments following a review that found these candidates offer insufficient protection against upper respiratory infections like COVID-19 and influenza
• Projects canceled or de-scoped include Moderna’s H5N1 bird flu vaccine award with UTMB, agreements with Emory University and Tiba Biotech, and mRNA work with Luminary Labs, ModeX and Seqirus BARDA rejected new pre-award proposals from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, CSL Seqirus and Gritstone under its Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle and VITAL Hub programs
• Select late-stage contracts, notably with Arcturus and Amplitude, will be allowed to conclude to preserve prior taxpayer investments, but no new mRNA-based projects will launch
• Funding will be redirected toward whole-virus vaccines and other broader platforms deemed more resilient to viral mutations, while non-respiratory mRNA applications remain in place