The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) agreed to provide up to $54.3 million to advance Moderna’s mRNA‑1018 H5 avian influenza vaccine into Phase 3 testing. The funding follows the earlier U.S. termination of BARDA support and comes amid renewed concern over emerging H5 cases. Moderna and CEPI said the agreement includes a commitment to allocate 20% of production to low‑ and middle‑income countries at affordable pricing in the event of approval and pandemic deployment. The company had previously received more than $700 million in BARDA contracts before the U.S. funding cancellation. CEPI’s support aims to keep an mRNA pandemic technology path viable as public‑private dynamics shift, and it underscores global actors’ willingness to underwrite late‑stage work on platform vaccines that can be rapidly scaled.