Jim Cramer turns bullish on health care stock after years of doubt
CNBC reports Jim Cramer turned bullish on Moderna (MRNA) on July 1, citing its June 25 Science Day pipeline and an FDA advisory panel’s 9-0 vote for mFLUSIVA, an mRNA seasonal flu vaccine for adults 50+. Moderna’s 1Q 2026 revenue was $389M with a net loss of $1.3B; Jefferies raised its PT to $53. Shares are up ~150% in 2026.
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
The newest actionable catalyst is the FDA VRBPAC unanimous support for mFLUSIVA plus a scheduled Aug 5 PDUFA decision, which can re-rate near-term probability of US commercialization while the pipeline narrative supports longer-dated optionality.
Market read
Traders can use the advisory vote and Aug 5 decision date to frame event-driven positioning and volatility expectations for Moderna ahead of final FDA review.
What to watch
The article notes meaningful seasonal flu revenue may not materialize until 2027 and highlights ongoing losses; valuation support may depend on manufacturing scale-up and uptake rather than the advisory vote alone.
Background
Cramer previously avoided Moderna for three years as COVID vaccine demand faded, then reversed after Moderna’s June 25 Science Day pipeline update and the July 1 FDA advisory vote.
Ticker impact
Moderna’s mFLUSIVA won a unanimous 9-0 FDA advisory vote and has an Aug 5 PDUFA decision date, driving a ~4% intraday rally.
Bullish bias into the Aug 5 decision, with elevated volatility around FDA/VRBPAC follow-ups and any approval-related headlines.
The article cites a specific regulatory milestone (9-0 vote) plus a concrete PDUFA date, which typically increases probability-weighted near-term cash-flow expectations for the flu franchise.
Market effects
Reinforces investor appetite for mRNA platforms beyond COVID, potentially improving sentiment for other vaccine developers with late-stage programs.
Europe authorization of mCOMBRIAX (all 27 EU states) supports cross-Atlantic commercialization confidence for mRNA flu/COVID combinations.
If mFLUSIVA is approved in the US, it strengthens the global mRNA seasonal flu market outlook and may influence pricing/partnership expectations across regions.
Counterpoint
Even with a unanimous advisory vote, approval is not guaranteed; investors may be overpaying after a large 2026 run-up and should watch for any safety/labeling concerns before the PDUFA date.
Key entities
- companyModerna
mRNA vaccine developer; subject of the article’s regulatory and pipeline catalysts (mFLUSIVA advisory vote, Science Day roadmap, intismeran/Keytruda data).
- regulatorFDA VRBPAC
Advisory committee that voted 9-0 to back Moderna’s mRNA seasonal flu vaccine for adults 50+.
- companyMerck (Keytruda)
Partner referenced in intismeran personalized cancer vaccine data with Keytruda.
