Moderna stock popped Wednesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the company's RSV vaccine for at-risk adults in their 50s.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sided with the previous Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices which, in April, recommended Moderna's mResvia for adults ages 50 to 59 who have a high risk of developing severe respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The virus causes coldlike symptoms in most people, but can be serious or deadly in older adults.
In June, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the former ACIP and installed his own panel of experts to weigh the risks and benefits of vaccines. So, the future of Moderna's mResvia remained cloudy. But, on June 25, Kennedy adopted the prior panel's recommendation.
"The decision to vaccinate is a personal one," a CDC spokeswoman told Investor's Business Daily by email. "People should consult with their healthcare provider to understand their options to get a vaccine and should be informed about the potential risks and benefits associated with vaccines."
Moderna stock closed Wednesday up 5.5% at 30.28.
Expanded RSV Vaccine Market
The RSV vaccine is Moderna's second commercial product, following its original Covid vaccine. It competes against shots from Pfizer and GSK.
It was originally approved and recommended for adults ages 75 and older, and for adults ages 60 to 74 with an increased risk of developing severe RSV.
The decision Wednesday expands the market for mResvia which, in the first quarter, widely missed sales forecasts. The biopharma industry was watching Kennedy's decision as an indicator of how closely Kennedy could follow the ACIP's nonbinding recommendations.
Moderna stock is currently trading above its 50-day moving average, but below its 200-day line, according to MarketSurge.
Follow Allison Gatlin on X/Twitter at @AGatlin_IBD.
