---
title: "Vaccine Manufacturers Stock Prices Soar Following First US Bird Flu Fatality"
publisher: "Stockmark.IT"
author: "Stockmark.IT Website"
published: "2025-01-08T07:16:43+00:00"
modified: "2025-01-08T07:16:43+00:00"
date: 2025-01-08
canonical: "https://stockmark.it/vaccine-manufacturers-stock-prices-soar-following-first-us-bird-flu-fatality/"
category: "Medical Research"
categories: ["Medical Research", "Pharmaceutical"]
image: "https://i0.wp.com/stockmark.it/wp-content/uploads/stencil.default-22-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&quality=89&ssl=1"
format: "news"
language: "en-GB"
---

# Vaccine Manufacturers Stock Prices Soar Following First US Bird Flu Fatality

**Published:** January 8, 2025
**Author:** Stockmark.IT Website
**Categories:** Medical Research, Pharmaceutical
**Featured image:** ![Doctor administering flu vaccine to senior citizen. from Stockmark.it](https://i0.wp.com/stockmark.it/wp-content/uploads/stencil.default-22-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&quality=89&ssl=1)

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Share prices of leading vaccine developers experienced significant gains on Tuesday following the announcement of America’s first human death from the H5 strain of bird flu. The market response saw Moderna’s stock surge by 11.6 per cent, whilst Novavax witnessed a 10.8 per cent increase, and CureVac shares rose by 5 per cent. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer also benefited from the news, with its shares climbing nearly 1 per cent.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that an elderly patient with underlying health conditions in Louisiana had succumbed to the H5 strain. Since the beginning of 2024, the CDC has documented 66 H5N1 bird flu cases across the country, though they maintain that public health risks remain minimal.

Prior to the Louisiana fatality, most recorded cases presented mild symptoms, predominantly conjunctivitis, accompanied by fever and respiratory issues. Medical experts suggest these milder manifestations might be attributed to the demographic affected, primarily young farm workers who typically demonstrate stronger resistance to severe illness.

The US government has already invested substantially in preparedness, awarding Moderna $176 million in July 2023 to develop an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine. Both Novavax and CureVac are progressing with early-stage vaccine development, while Pfizer announced its work on a vaccine targeting a specific strain affecting birds and cattle with limited human transmission.

Government officials possess a considerable stockpile of bird flu vaccines ready for widespread distribution within weeks, though the Biden administration has not yet authorised deployment. The current outbreak, deemed the most severe of its kind in US history, has impacted numerous poultry farms and over 900 cattle herds across 16 states.

In a parallel development, the British government has secured a contract for more than 5 million doses of the H5 strain vaccine from CSL Seqirus, demonstrating global preparedness efforts against potential outbreaks.

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