Vaccine Makers Curtail Research and Cut Jobs

Moderna has pulled back on late-stage studies of some experimental vaccines, a small company canceled plans to build a factory in Texas and another manufacturer in San Diego laid off workers. When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was picked in November 2024 to become health secretary, public health experts warned his skepticism of vaccines could disrupt the industry; executives and investors say those fears are now showing up in decisions across the field.

The Food and Drug Administration recently refused to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, saying its research design was flawed, and the company has paused preparatory work for large late-stage trials of several infectious-disease candidates, including an Epstein-Barr vaccine.

Moderna laid off more than 800 workers last year, lost more than $700 million in contracts after the administration canceled agreements for a bird flu shot and has shelved vaccines for conditions such as herpes, chickenpox and shingles; the company’s stock price has fallen more than 90 percent since its August 2021 peak.

United States, Texas, San Diego

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