‘European investments in coronavirus vaccines will benefit the whole world and will help us beat this virus.’
The European Commission has completed ‘exploratory talks’ with five companies in relation to purchasing a potential vaccine against covid-19.
US-based Moderna is the latest company to discuss a potential supply contract with the European Commission, which would provide the possibility for all the European Union Member States to purchase the vaccine as well as donate to lower and middle income countries.
It is anticipated that the Commission will have a contractual framework in place for the initial purchase of 80 million doses on behalf of all Member States, plus an option to purchase up to a further 80million doses to be supplied once a vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against covid-19.
Since the end of July the Commission has concluded talks with AsrtraZeneca, CureVac, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi-GSK and Moderna. The Commission added that it is pursuing intensive discussions with other manufacturers.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said ‘After intense negotiations, the European Commission has now concluded talks with a fifth pharmaceutical company, to enable rapid access to a vaccine…We invest in companies using diverse technologies, to increase our chances to have vaccines that are safe and effective…European investments in coronavirus vaccines will benefit the whole world and will help us beat this virus.’
The European Commission has committed to ensuring that everyone who needs a vaccine gets it, anywhere in the world. To this end it has raised almost €16 billion since 4 May 2020 under the Coronavirus Global Response, which is the global action for universal access to tests, treatments and vaccines.
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