Influenza

The FDA declined to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine application for its mRNA-1010 product, and based its decision on it choice of comparator in a phase 3 trial, despite the absence of safety or efficacy concerns and prior FDA agreement on the study design. Moderna requested a meeting to understand the path forward with the vaccine.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has published its 2026 immunization schedule, reaffirming routine vaccination to protect children and adolescents against 18 preventable diseases.

The federal agency gave the nod for Acon Laboratories’ Flowflex Plus RSV + Flu A/B + COVID 4-in-1 test that can detect all those respiratory viruses in a single test, which is indicated for use in both adults and children as young as 6 months.

With rates of influenza vaccination in decline, two health systems evaluated interventions for prompting clinicians to order, and patients to obtain flu shots.

CDC surveillance shows sharp week-over-week increases in influenza test positivity, outpatient illness, and hospital admissions, with A(H3N2) continuing to predominate nationwide.

New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show rising early-season influenza activity, moderate 2024–2025 vaccine effectiveness, and updated 2025–2026 recommendations that include trivalent, thimerosal-free single-dose formulations and expanded access to FluMist.

This is the first human ever known to be infected with the H5N5 strain. The infected patient was from Washington state, and was undergoing treatment for H5N5 (avian influenza) when the individual died last week.

Large international study reports higher A-strain protection and acceptable safety profile for quadrivalent RNA influenza vaccine.

A review of vaccine safety and effectiveness conducted by the Vaccine Integrity Project, independent of the CDC's ACIP, reflects its stated purpose as "dedicated to safeguarding vaccine use in the US."

Prescribing of antiviral medication for children at risk of severe influenza decreased in COVID-19 pandemic despite unchanged treatment guidelines.

Bird migration has started. Surveillance and early detection are key, especially as it relates to H5N1 and predicting this year's respiratory virus season.

Multicenter study will measure efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity in adults 18–59 across Europe.

Record-high 127.1/100,000 hospitalizations with co-circulating influenza A strains and similar in-hospital severity to prior years.

Corner Therapeutics says its "hyperactivator" adjuvant technology can offer protection against all virus strains.

Results from a Danish trial of more than 330,000 adults 65 years or older found high- and standard-dose influenza vaccines had similar effectiveness against influenza or pneumonia-related hospitalizations.

This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made the recommendation to remove the vaccine preservative.

Vaccine candidate demonstrates 26.6% higher relative efficacy in adults 50 and older, with strong protection across flu strains.

Phase 3 results show immune response and tolerability in adults 65 and older, following phase 2 findings.

The ongoing H5N1 avian flu outbreak has severely impacted U.S. poultry and dairy industries, prompting a $1 billion USDA response strategy that includes biosecurity, vaccination research, and innovation funding. With growing concern over viral mutations affecting humans and livestock, rapid, field-based diagnostic tools offer critical support in accelerating detection and containment efforts.

Despite the funding being terminated, the company said data from its phase 1/2 study of its investigational vaccine, mRNA-1018, demonstrated positive interim results.

Michigan dairy worker's infection is linked to widespread H5N1 outbreaks, as new findings suggest increased transmission risk and moderate disease in mammals.

Despite political restructuring and funding cuts, the NIH’s Generation Gold Standard vaccine platform offers a promising solution for pandemic preparedness and global health resilience.

This case represents the second reported human infection with avian influenza A(H5) in Mexico, and the first confirmed case of influenza A(H5N1) in the country. The patient was a child who died from respiratory complications.

Jeff Fischer, MBA, discusses promising preclinical data on a cross-species, cross-strain influenza candidate with pandemic potential at the 2025 Congress of the European Society of
Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Investigational sa-mRNA vaccine advances to phase 1 trials for pandemic preparedness.