Moderna won up to $54.3 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to advance its H5 avian influenza mRNA vaccine mRNA‑1018 into Phase 3 testing. The agreement follows the U.S. government’s earlier cancellation of BARDA funding for the same program; Moderna retains commitments to supply a portion of capacity to low‑ and middle‑income countries if approved. CEPI’s grant revives a pandemic‑focused mRNA program at a time of renewed H5 outbreaks in livestock and sporadic human cases, and underlines global interest in mRNA platforms for rapid pandemic response.