The US Health and Human Services Department said Tuesday it will soon end federal mRNA vaccine projects under BARDA, canceling or scaling back 22 efforts worth nearly $500 million.

The review found mRNA vaccines were ineffective against upper respiratory infections, and funding will move to broader vaccine platforms, the HHS quoted Secretary Robert Kennedy as saying.

The wind-down ends contracts with Emory University and Tiba Biotech and scales back work with Luminary Labs, ModeX, and Seqirus, the department said.

It also cancels pre-award solicitations from Pfizer (PFE), Sanofi Pasteur (SNY), CSL Seqirus, and Gritstone, and restructures collaborations with DoD-JPEO affecting AAHI, AstraZeneca (AZN), HDT Bio, and Moderna (MRNA), the HHS said.

Some late-stage contracts with Arcturus and Amplitude will continue to preserve taxpayer investments, and BARDA Ventures will stop mRNA equity funding, the agency added.

Future efforts will focus on whole-virus and other vaccine technologies with stronger safety records and more transparent data practices, the HHS added.

Pfizer, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, and Moderna did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment.