Pharmaceutical company Moderna has begun a large-scale clinical trial of a new vaccine against avian influenza, despite reduced government funding, The Washington Post reports.

The study will involve around 4,000 adults in the United States and the United Kingdom. The first volunteers have already received a dose of the vaccine.

The candidate vaccine is based on mRNA technology—the same platform used in COVID-19 vaccines. This approach allows for faster vaccine development and a quicker response to emerging viruses.

Earlier small-scale trials (involving about 300 participants) showed that the vaccine was safe and produced the expected immune response.

The project initially received government support, but funding was later reduced following a policy review of mRNA-based vaccines. Authorities stated that the technology was “insufficiently tested” for certain applications, particularly against rapidly mutating viruses such as influenza and COVID-19.

Some of the remaining funding has been provided by CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), an international organization focused on preparing for epidemics and pandemics.

Moderna says the goal of the project is to prepare for potential future bird flu pandemics and to build a more flexible system for protecting public health.

Experts note, however, that mRNA vaccines have already demonstrated effectiveness and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and allow significantly faster development compared to traditional vaccine methods.