Moderna announced ongoing support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to accelerate the development of mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccines. 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 project will provide additional support for late-stage development and licensure of pre-pandemic mRNA-based vaccines. The agreement will also support the expansion of clinical studies for up to five additional subtypes of pandemic influenza.

In 2023, Moderna initiated a Phase 1/2 study to generate safety and immunogenicity data of an investigational pandemic influenza vaccine (mRNA-1018) in healthy adults aged 18 years and older. The study included vaccine candidates against H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses. Based on the positive preliminary data from the Phase 1/2 study, Moderna is preparing to advance mRNA-1018 into Phase 3.