US government inks a deal with Moderna to make pandemic flu vaccine

The US Department of Health and Human Services has signed a contract with Moderna to develop an mRNA vaccine for pandemic flu in response to the latest outbreak of bird flu. The government already has doses of an H5 vaccine with a traditional platform under production. The $176 million contract with Moderna will provide a nimble response to any circulating strains of pandemic flu. While the mRNA vaccine candidate is in early-stage testing, late-stage testing will not begin until 2025. Current bird flu risks remain low, according to health officials.