Washington, Jan 18 (V7N) — The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced $590 million in funding for Moderna to accelerate the production of vaccines targeting influenza, including the development of an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine.

The funding aims to bolster Moderna's mRNA platform capabilities, enhancing the nation's preparedness against emerging infectious diseases, according to an HHS statement on Friday. This comes in addition to the $176 million Moderna received in July 2024.

HHS Secretary Javier Becerra emphasised the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to prioritising allocations for health security initiatives. "This funding reflects our dedication to protecting public health and advancing vaccine technology to address unpredictable bio-threats like bird flu," Becerra said.

The United States government also announced an additional $211 million on Thursday for a consortium of private and government laboratories to develop mRNA vaccines against emerging bio-threats.

Past variants of bird flu have demonstrated unpredictability and potential danger to humans, underscoring the need for rapid and effective vaccine development.

The investment marks a significant step towards safeguarding the US population from future pandemics and strengthening the country's biodefense capabilities.

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