The award is part of DARPA's Nucleic Acids On-Demand World-Wide (NOW) initiative, the company said. The funding will help Moderna build on its current manufacturing capability by developing and implementing a 6 x 6 x 6-ft automated manufacturing unit that can be used around the world and can produce medicine doses quickly, the company said.

The award follows on a previous DARPA grant Moderna secured in 2013, according to the firm.

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