Emergent signs deal to make British COVID-19 vaccine
AstraZeneca in June picked Emergent to help produce 300 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine pledged to the United States.
By REUTERSScientists develop a vaccine against the coronavirus disease in Saint Petersburg(photo credit: REUTERS)
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. said on Monday it signed a $174 million agreement with AstraZeneca to develop and manufacture the British drugmaker’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.AstraZeneca in June picked Emergent to help produce 300 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine pledged to the United States.AstraZeneca has signed manufacturing deals globally to meet its target of making 2 billion doses of the vaccine, including with two Bill Gates-backed ventures and a $1.2 billion agreement with the US government.The company’s vaccine, which has been co-developed by University of Oxford, is among the first to move into mid-stage trials.There are no approved vaccines or treatments for COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.The latest contract follows an $87 million contract in June where Emergent signed an agreement to become the development partner for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate.Activities under the agreement will be at Emergent’s Baltimore Bayview facility, the company said, which is a designated center by the US Department of Health and Human Services for rapid manufacturing of large quantities of vaccines and treatments.
