May 28 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has

cancelled a contract awarded to Moderna ( MRNA ) for the

late-stage development of its bird flu vaccine for humans, as

well as the right to purchase shots, according to the drugmaker.

Moderna ( MRNA ) in January was awarded $590 million by the Biden

administration to advance the development of its bird flu

vaccine, and support the expansion of clinical studies for up to

five additional subtypes of pandemic influenza

This was in addition to $176 million awarded by the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services last year to complete

the late-stage development and testing of a pre-pandemic

mRNA-based vaccine against the H5N1 avian influenza.

Moderna ( MRNA ) said it plans to explore alternatives for late-stage

development and manufacturing of the vaccine.

The company also announced that it had received positive

interim data from a mid-stage trial set up to test the safety

and immunogenicity of its bird flu vaccine targeting the H5

avian influenza virus subtype.