Does Anthony Fauci Have Ties to Moderna?

Right-wing commentator Candace Owens is alleging connections between the Gates Foundation and Moderna, and Dr. Anthony Fauci and Moderna in a video posted on Instagram. 

In the video, Owens says she is a “lion” seeking to understand the mentality of the “sheep” who plan on taking a coronavirus vaccine when it is available. She asks: “What do you think about the ties that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has to this vaccine, has to Moderna? What do you think about the ties that Dr. Fauci has to Moderna?”

Moderna’s vaccine development has been supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is itself supported by the Gates Foundation, but the only apparent direct financial connection between Moderna and the Gates Foundation is a 2016 grant awarded to the company by the Gates Foundation to develop an HIV antibody therapeutic utilizing messenger RNA. The grant allowed for the possibility of Moderna receiving additional Gates funds up to $100 million for follow-on projects “to support the development of additional mRNA-based projects for various infectious diseases.” It’s unclear if Moderna’s vaccine, which is mRNA-based, received funding through the Gates grant. Neither Moderna or the Gates Foundation have responded to a request for comment. 

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