On one of the final days of the Biden Administration, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced $590 million in support for Moderna to speed the development of mRNA vaccines against potential pandemic flu viruses and to better prepare the platform to respond to other emerging infectious diseases.

In a January 17 statement, HHS said the award was made through the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle (RRPV) Consortium with funding from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
The funding allows Moderna to speed the development of an H5N1 avian flu mRNA vaccine that matches the strains circulating in cows and birds and expand its clinical data that would support the use of mRNA vaccines, if needed, against other flu strains that have pandemic potential.
HHS said Moderna will develop and assess an mRNA vaccine against H7N9 avian influenza in a phase 3 clinical trial. The company will also design up to four other novel pandemic flu vaccines and do the phase 1 clinical studies.
Moderna says results from early trials are positive
In a statement on the same day, Moderna said it launched a phase 1/2 study to gather safety and immunogenicity data for an investigational pandemic flu vaccine called mRNA-1018 in healthy adults ages 18 and older. The study included vaccine candidates against H5 and H7 avian flu viruses. Based on positive preliminary data, the company said it is preparing for phase 3 studies and will share its phase 1/2 clinical trial findings at an upcoming scientific meeting.
In the HHS statement, former HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O'Connell, JD, said, "mRNA technology will complement existing vaccine technology, allowing us to move faster and better target emerging viruses to protect Americans’ against future pandemics."