US provides $72M to vaccine manufacturers to advance bird flu shot preparedness

Federal health officials announced Friday they are providing $72 million to vaccine manufacturers to help ensure currently available bird flu vaccines are ready-to-use, if needed.

There are currently no recommendations for anyone in the U.S. to be vaccinated against bird flu, but officials from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) noted this is being done out of "an abundance of caution."

The funds will allow for pharmaceutical companies CSL Seqirus, Sanofi, and GSK to "fill and finish"-- a process to fill vaccines from bulk storage into ready-to-use vials or pre-filled syringes. This will ensure vaccines are ready to distribute, if necessary.

"The actions taken today will improve the country's preparedness against novel influenza, including H5," said David Boucher, director of infectious disease preparedness and response at HHS' Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), on a call with reporters. "The ability to rapidly develop and distribute vaccines is essential in preparing for a public health emergency."

The HHS said the company will manufacture additional influenzas antigen -- the component of vaccines that stimulates an immune response -- in bulk that is well-match to the strain of bird flu that are currently circulating.

Health officials had previously filled nearly 5 million vaccines doses and expect the new funding to double the ready-to-use stockpile.

"We're still working through manufacturing schedules with our industry partners, but we do expect that we will have a total of just over 10 million doses filled and finished by the end of the first quarter of calendar year 2025," Boucher said.

Other companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, are continuing efforts to develop an mRNA bird flu vaccine, which is the same technology used in the companies' respective COVID-19 vaccines.

There have been 16 bird flu cases confirmed in the U.S. so far this year but the risk of bird flu to the general public remains low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those working with potentially infected livestock are at higher risk and should take appropriate precautions.

"This announcement is an illustration of the work we do at [the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response] everyday to help the country prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks," Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, said in a statement. "These awards ensure the country has access to additional pandemic influenza vaccines should they be needed now or in the future."

Sanofi will also make sure it is prepared to manufacture an egg-based influenza vaccine, such as a vaccine for H5 influenza, which is a strain of bird flu, if needed.

"Although the risk to Americans from influenza A (H5) virus infection remains low, we're leaning forward with our preparedness efforts," Dr. Gary Disbrow, director and deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the HHS' Center for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA, said in a statement.

"As influenza A(H5) virus infections in domesticated animals continue to spread, the risk for human infection could rise. In an abundance of caution, we are taking steps to increase the amount of vaccine that could be immediately available if needed," the statement continued.