Pharma giant AstraZeneca pens deal with four EU countries to supply up to 400 million doses of an experimental Covid-19 vaccine
A scientist prepares samples during the research and development of a vaccine against the coronavirus disease at a laboratory of BIOCAD biotechnology company in Saint Petersburg, Russia June 11, 2020.
"This will ensure that hundreds of millions of people in Europe will have access to this vaccine, of course, if it works and we will know that by the end of summer," the company's chief executive, Pascal Soriot told journalists. He said he has "good hope" that it will work, based on initial data. The vaccines are for all EU member states. The four nations that agreed the deal will pay for the total amount, which has not been disclosed, and the scheme allows other countries to join it under the same conditions, a source from the Italian health ministry said.The British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved the start of Phase III trials of the vaccine after studies showed sufficient efficacy and safety, Soriot said.
It has agreed manufacturing deals globally to meet its target of producing 2 billion doses of the vaccine, including with two Bill Gates-backed ventures and a $1.2 billion agreement with the US government.
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