Biotech Stocks Surge Amid Public Health Concerns Over Avian Flu

A significant rise in biotech stocks has been partly attributed to escalating fears over avian influenza and the ongoing development of related vaccines. An avian flu virus (H5N1), which has killed thousands of marine mammals and spread amongst foxes, otters and bears, has recently infiltrated American livestock for the first time. Scientists are working to assess how it is evolving and the level of risk it poses to humans. The U.S. government has been proactive, investing heavily in stockpiling bird flu vaccines and preparing for potential pandemic scenarios.

Companies, such as Moderna are advancing multiple vaccine candidates, including those for H5N1, as part of its broader public health strategy, with clinical trials leveraging mRNA technology to address the bird flu threat effectively. Public health experts remain vigilant, given the virus's ability to infect various species and its potential to cause a pandemic and the heightened focus on vaccine preparedness and innovation in the biotech sector reflecting the lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic.

The following article originally appeared in Semafor.

As the United States confirmed a second human case of bird flu from dairy cows on Wednesday, shares in biotech companies rose sharply. Vaccine makers, including Moderna, BioNTech, and CureVac, all saw double-digit stock increases, as investors bet they could cash in on a public health response should bird flu start spreading between people. COVID-19 offered a blueprint: Moderna and BioNTech both developed widely-used vaccines for the virus.

The virus is considered a pandemic threat because it often jumps between species, but less easily among humans. Risk to the public remains low, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed, although bird flu has been spreading among cattle, and officials said people who work on farms should remain vigilant.

For more, please find the original story source here.