In August 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the termination and restructuring of 22 federally funded mRNA vaccine and therapeutic projects, totaling nearly $500 million under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). This marks a significant strategic shift away from mRNA platforms toward alternative vaccine technologies, which HHS indicated may offer broader or more durable protection against certain viral threats. The affected projects involved major universities, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical firms. Contracts with Emory University and Tiba Biotech were terminated outright, while funding was reduced or projects de-scoped at Luminary Labs, ModeX, and CSL Seqirus. Pre-award proposals from Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur, Gritstone, and CSL Seqirus were cancelled, and collaborations involving Moderna-UTMB, AstraZeneca, Access to Advanced Health Institute, and HDT Bio were restructured. Some mature programs by Arcturus Therapeutics and Amplitude were allowed to proceed. These initiatives addressed critical public health priorities, including vaccines for respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, rapid-response pandemic preparedness, novel delivery methods such as inhaled or dry-powder formulations, and universal vaccines targeting viral mutation.

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