And a sixth! After AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, Johnson&Johnson, Curevac, and Moderna, the European Commission will now secure a stockpile of Covid-19 vaccines from BioNTech-Pfizer. The institution announced on Wednesday 9 September, that it had concluded preliminary discussions with this German-American alliance.
BioNTech-Pfizer
As indicated (see EUROPE 12552/17), contacts between the EU and BioNTech-Pfizer had been ongoing for several weeks. At this stage, the Commission foresees an initial purchase of 200 million doses, with a purchase option for a further 100 million to be provided once the safety and efficacy of the candidate vaccine has been demonstrated.
The Commission intends to diversify its vaccine portfolio: those developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson are based on adenovirus, Sanofi-GSK’s are based on recombinant DNA technology and the last three (Curevac, Moderna and BioNTech-Pfizer) are based on messenger RNA (which is used to transfer the instructions that direct the body’s cells to synthesise proteins to prevent or fight a disease).
Interruption at AstraZeneca
The end of the exploratory discussions paves the way for an advance purchase agreement, such as the one concluded in mid-August with AstraZeneca (see EUROPE 12547/7). However, on the morning of this announcement by the EU, the British-Swedish laboratory AstraZeneca announced that its tests had been put on hold due to an unexplained malaise by an operator in the British section.
The laboratory, considered to be the furthest ahead in its research (phase III), has already pre-sold 300 million doses to the United States, 300 million to the EU and 30 million to the United Kingdom.
When questioned by the press, the Commission sought reassurance: “Such a delay is quite common in a clinical trial and you can’t draw conclusions from a single event”, said Vice President Maros Šefčovič. And to affirm: “The Commission will never compromise on safety or the duration of clinical trials. Safety is a fundamental criterion for a vaccine to reach the European market”, he concluded. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)