Massachusetts-headquartered Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) is a well-known drugmaker with a focus on messenger RNA therapeutics and vaccines. While some folks might feel that there’s not much here to recommend it, I think it’s not wise to bet against MRNA stock.

If the resurgence of Covid-19 in China proved anything, it’s that we can’t easily predict the coming of global health threats. As long as these threats continue to exist, there will likely be a need for Moderna’s vaccines.

Thus, even while the Moderna share price is far off of its peak, the upside potential remains strong. Indeed, a recently headline-grabbing viral outbreak should convince investors that Moderna will probably be quite busy this year.

What’s Happening With MRNA Stock?

There’s no denying that MRNA stockholders have been on a rough ride lately. Painfully, the stock has come down from a 52-week high of nearly $500 to less than $150.

Let’s not jump to the wrong conclusions, though. Moderna’s share-price decline doesn’t mean that the demand for vaccines has evaporated.

Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine generated $5.9 billion in revenue for the company during 2022’s first three months. This vaccine turned out to be Moderna’s biggest revenue source for the quarter. Without a doubt, it helped Moderna achieve $3.7 billion in first-quarter 2022 profits, a huge improvement over the $1.2 billion from the year-earlier quarter.

Besides, CEO Stéphane Bancel stated that Moderna has “$21 billion worth of advance purchase agreements for the vaccine,” according to The New York Times. So clearly, the demand is still there.

Underscoring the Commitment

Billions of dollars’ worth of purchase agreements is certainly impressive. Yet, this doesn’t mean that Moderna is solely focused on producing Covid-19 vaccines.

Unfortunately, there’s another viral outbreak to contend with in 2022. As you’ve probably seen in the headlines, cases of monkeypox have been on the rise.

Monkeypox can be contagious, and is reportedly contracted via close physical contact. However, Moderna is already exploring options to combat this disease.

In a tweet, Moderna announced that it is “investigating potential monkeypox vaccines at a preclinical level.” This is part of the company’s “commitment to advancing programs by 2025 against #pathogens that pose a threat to public health.” This could be considered mission-critical, as the World Health Organization recently counted 131 confirmed monkeypox cases.

What You Can Do Now

Investors and non-investors alike can root for private enterprise to step up and address the emerging monkeypox crisis. It’s good to know that Moderna is leading the way and working diligently to address this disease.

At the same time, Moderna still has huge orders for its Covid-19 vaccine. All in all, people should know that there are still global viral threats to contend with — and that MRNA stock has room to retrace higher in 2022.

On the date of publication, neither Louis Navellier nor the InvestorPlace Research Staff member primarily responsible for this article held (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.