Up to 200 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from the American biotech Moderna will be produced by the French laboratory Sanofi in the United States.
A decision made "to meet global demand," the companies said on Monday April 26.
Sanofi will put the infrastructure of its Ridgefield, New Jersey site at the service of Moderna for "filling and finishing operations for up to 200 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine", starting in September, according to the French group, which is thus initiating its third partnership with competing vaccine producers, after Pfizer / BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson.
Two vaccines in development
"Sanofi is one of the rare companies to multiply industrial partnerships to improve the global supply of vaccines against Covid-19 and access to these vaccines under fair conditions, while at the same time pursuing the development of two of its own vaccines against this disease, "said its managing director, Paul Hudson, quoted in the press release.
"This additional production will allow us to continue to increase our capacities in the United States," said Juan Andres, director of technical operations at Moderna.
The first French laboratory has come under fire of criticism recently, its main vaccine project - in collaboration with the British GSK - having been delayed by several months.
Originally scheduled for mid-2021, it should finally be available at the end of the year.
In addition, a clinical trial started in March for its second vaccine candidate, developed with the biotech Translate Bio.
The latter is based on innovative messenger RNA technology, the same as that used by Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines.
Multiplication of alliances
Sanofi plans to help Pfizer produce 125 million doses for the European Union and participate in the production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at its Marcy-l'Étoile (Rhône) site, at a rate of approximately 12 million doses per month.
Alliances to accelerate the production of vaccines already approved are multiplying between competing laboratories.
Thus, the vaccine from the German biotech Curevac, already allied with GSK, will benefit from the aid of the German Bayer and the Swiss Novartis.
The latter will also help produce the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the American giant Merck will participate in the production of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
With AFP
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