Shares in vaccine makers, including Moderna and BioNTech, surged on Wednesday following reports of new human cases of H5N1 bird flu in Australia and the US. The news of the first human case in Australia, where a child infected during a trip to India has since recovered, and the third case in the US, involving a dairy worker exposed to an infected cattle herd, has raised concerns about wider transmission of the virus.
The outbreak of bird flu in US cattle herds, detected in nine states, has added to fears of a potential pandemic. The total number of human bird flu infections worldwide this year now stands at eight, prompting health officials to remain vigilant even as the Covid-19 pandemic officially ended last year.
Investors are once again turning their attention to vaccine-focused biotechs, betting on their potential role in combating the next pandemic. Companies like Moderna and BioNTech, which saw their stock prices fall due to waning demand for Covid-19 vaccines, are now being seen as key players in the fight against bird flu.
Moderna, which is in discussions with the US government to advance its pandemic flu candidate, saw its stock rise by 13.7%, while BioNTech closed up 11%. Germany-based CureVac, which announced an early-stage H5N1 vaccine trial in collaboration with GSK, also saw its stock price jump by 18.8%.
As health authorities continue to monitor the situation and take necessary precautions, the focus remains on vaccine development and preparedness for a potential bird flu pandemic. With existing partnerships and vaccine stockpiles in place, the hope is that the world will be better equipped to handle any future outbreaks.