Sanofi, GSK to supply 100 mn doses of COVID-19 vaccine to US, in talks with EU for 300 mn doses

The Trump administration informed that two major pharma companies, Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, will supply the US government with 100 million doses of an experimental coronavirus vaccine.

The deal is worth $2.1 billion and involves the supply of vaccines for 50 million people, with the option to buy another 500 million doses.

It comes under the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed, intended to rush a COVID-19 vaccine to the market by the end of 2020.

“Today’s investment supports our latest vaccine candidate, an adjuvanted product being developed by Sanofi and GSK, all the way through clinical trials and manufacturing, with the potential to bring hundreds of millions of safe and effective doses to the American people,” said Alex Azar, Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

In talks with the EU

The drug makers also informed that they are in advanced discussions with the EU to supply up to 300 million doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine.

The European Commission wants to strike deals with up to six drugmakers for their vaccines for their 450 million citizens against the coronavirus that has killed 674,000 people worldwide with their emergency fund of more than two billion euros (£1.80 billion).

“The envisaged contract with Sanofi would provide for an option for all EU Member States to purchase the vaccine. It is envisaged that, once a vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19, the Commission would have a contractual framework in place for the purchase of 300 million doses, on behalf of all EU member states,” the Commission said in a statement.

Sanofi is working on two vaccine projects including one in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline.

(With edits from EP News Bureau)