and IDT Biologika have signed a letter of intent to increase Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing in Europe and secure long-term supply capacity.
On receiving the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval for the vaccine, AstraZeneca initiated shipping doses of the vaccines earlier this month as part of its initial commitment of 17 million doses. The company plans to supply more doses next month.
In a bid to support Europe鈥檚 immediate inoculation needs, the companies are exploring ways to boost output of finished COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca in the second quarter of this year.
Furthermore, AstraZeneca and IDT Biologika plan to strengthen Europe鈥檚 vaccine manufacturing capability with a joint investment to set up a large additional drug substance capacity for the future.
AstraZeneca noted that the details of the agreement remain unfinalised.
The companies plan to invest in capacity expansion at IDT Biologika鈥檚 production site in Dessau, Germany to set up about five 2,000-litre bioreactors which can produce millions of doses of AstraZeneca鈥檚 Covid-19 vaccine per month.
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By GlobalDataAstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said: 鈥淭his agreement will greatly help Europe build an independent vaccine manufacturing capability that will allow it to meet the challenges of the current pandemic and create strategic supply capacity for the future.
鈥淲e are delighted to be investing with our partner IDT Biologika in the future health, security and wellbeing of millions of citizens across Europe.鈥�
Meanwhile, the company鈥檚 vaccine is in the last stages of review for a World Health Organization (WHO) emergency-use listing and could get approval by mid-February.
Reuters quoted WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan as saying: 鈥淲e hope this will be followed very soon by the emergency-use listing of this product.鈥�
With data from a large US clinical trial of the shot awaited, WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization chair Alejandro Cravioto said that the US data was 鈥渘ot expected until into March鈥�.
issued by WHO on 10 February recommended the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for use in all adults, and that it should be administered in two doses, eight to 12 weeks apart.
Separately, AstraZeneca completed the divestment of the rights to lipid-lowering medicine, Crestor (rosuvastatin), and associated medicines in over 30 countries in Europe to Gr眉nenthal.
According to the deal, the company received a payment of $320m from Gr眉nenthal and is also be eligible for future milestone payments of up to $30m.
