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Marburg (dpa) - Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) has described vaccine production in the new plant of the Mainz company Biontech as a "milestone" in the fight against the corona pandemic.
The preparation from Biontech and its US partner Pfizer plays an important role: "75 percent of our previous vaccination success is also thanks to Biontech," said Spahn on Thursday at a digital press conference with Hesse's Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) and Biontech CFO Sierk Poetting .
Of the 13.8 million vaccine doses administered nationwide so far, 10.3 million came from Biontech, and according to current planning, another 40 million doses are expected in the second quarter.
The minister saw the commissioning of the plant as a starting point for Germany as a "vaccine hub": "We would like to become an mRNA hub for the world and for Europe too."
The production facility in Marburg is an important step in this regard.
A hub is a kind of hub or center.
A few months ago, Biontech took over the Marburg plant from the Novartis pharmaceutical company and converted it to manufacture the mRNA vaccine.
Around two months after the start of production, the first deliveries are due to leave the premises these days and be brought to partner Pfizer's plant in Puurs, Belgium, for filling and labeling.
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Bouffier said with a view to the pace of the renovation and the official approval: Marburg is a good example of “that it can and must be possible to become faster in Germany without compromising on quality”.
Spahn emphasized that it is important to have sufficient vaccines available in the coming year - if doses are needed to refresh or vaccines have to be adapted to coronavirus variants.
“We want to and will secure appropriate capacities beyond 2021,” he said.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210401-99-54184 / 2