A bird flu vaccine from Moderna is in early stages of development
The U.S. government is giving drugmaker Moderna $176 million to develop an mRNA vaccine against the bird flu amid the ongoing outbreak in dairy cows across the country.
The U.S. government is giving drugmaker Moderna $176 million to develop an mRNA vaccine against the bird flu amid the ongoing outbreak in dairy cows across the country.
The vaccine is in the early stages of development and would not be available until at least next year, Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, said during a call with reporters Tuesday.
“The timeline may change, but we anticipate starting phase three trials in 2025,” O’Connell said. While the vaccine would target H5N1, the mRNA technology would allow manufacturers to pivot quickly if another new flu strain emerges.
Since the outbreak was first detected in March, three people — all dairy workers — have tested positive for the virus. All had relatively mild cases and have since recovered.
There is no evidence yet that this strain of the bird flu spreads easily from person to person. But the concern is that the longer the virus circulates among mammals, it could mutate into a form that does.
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