The US government is reportedly close to finalizing a deal with Moderna to fund its trial of the bird flu mRNA vaccine as concerns remain about the outbreak in poultry and livestock.
The Financial Times reported An agreement was nearly reached Thursday on funding for Moderna's late-stage bird flu vaccine trial, citing sources close to the decision. According to the newspaper, the funding, which could total several tens of millions, would come from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
Moderna confirmed last week that it was in discussions with the federal government about financing its trials. The company did not comment on the Financial Times report.
“Moderna can confirm that we are in discussions with the US government about advancing our pandemic flu candidate, mRNA-1018. Phase 1/2 dosing of mRNA-1018 has been completed and data are expected soon,” the company said in a statement.
“The H5 vaccines in this trial cover the same group as the variant currently circulating in the United States. We remain committed to using our mRNA platform to respond to public health concerns.”
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) did not immediately comment on the report when reached by The Hill.
Major flu vaccine manufacturer CSL Seqirus announced As of Thursday, it had been selected by BARDA to deliver nearly 5 million doses of a pre-pandemic vaccine tailored to the currently circulating strain of bird flu.
“The CDC maintains that the risk to public health is low. We are closely monitoring the situation as we are acutely aware of the threat that influenza virus strains such as H5N1 can pose and are taking seriously our role in the preparedness efforts with our government and public health partners. Marc Lacey, global executive director for pandemic at CSL, said in a statement.
The risk of human-to-human transmission of bird flu is extremely low. Most cases are found in livestock workers who are in close proximity to infected poultry or livestock. Infections can be treated with antiviral drugs, with treatment recommended as soon as symptoms appear.
