What Happened?
Shares of biotechnology company Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) jumped 10.2% in the afternoon session after the company published positive Phase 3 clinical trial results for its seasonal flu vaccine candidate, mRNA-1010, and announced positive Phase 1 data for its hantavirus vaccine.
The Phase 3 results for the flu vaccine, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed it was superior to standard-dose flu shots in adults 50 and older, with a relative vaccine efficacy of 26.6%. This validation of Moderna's mRNA technology beyond COVID-19 has bolstered investor confidence, especially with a decision from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expected by August 5.
Adding to the positive sentiment, the company's hantavirus vaccine candidate was well-tolerated and produced strong immune responses in a Phase 1 trial. Following the news, several analysts raised their price targets on the stock.
The shares closed the day at $54.35, up 12.3% from previous close.
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What Is The Market Telling Us
Moderna’s shares are extremely volatile and have had 45 moves greater than 5% over the last year. But moves this big are rare even for Moderna and indicate this news significantly impacted the market’s perception of the business.
The biggest move we wrote about over the last year was 2 months ago when the stock gained 17.4% on the news that the company settled a long-running patent dispute over the technology used in its COVID-19 vaccine.
Moderna agreed to pay Arbutus Biopharma and Genevant Sciences up to $2.25 billion to resolve the legal battle. This settlement removed a major legal and financial uncertainty that had weighed on the company's stock. The agreement also provided clarity for Moderna's entire infectious disease portfolio, confirming no future royalties would be owed. In addition to the settlement news, the company received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency for its combination vaccine designed to protect against both influenza and COVID-19 in individuals aged 50 and older.
Moderna is up 76.6% since the beginning of the year, and at $54.50 per share, it is trading close to its 52-week high of $57.80 from March 2026. Despite the year-to-date gain, investors who bought $1,000 worth of Moderna’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at only $343.77.
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