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Brussels / Cambridge (dpa) - The US pharmaceutical company Moderna is increasing its production of corona vaccines and wants to deliver up to a billion doses this year alone.
In the coming year it should be up to three billion vaccine doses, as the company announced.
It also referred to study results, according to which the vaccine can be kept longer in the refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees than previously assumed, namely three months instead of one.
That would make it easier to handle the vaccine, which is otherwise stored at minus 20 degrees.
Moderna's preparation is one of four corona vaccines with approval in the European Union.
Similar to the product from Biontech / Pfizer, it uses the new mRNA technology and is considered to be very reliable and very safe.
The EU has ordered up to 460 million cans of Moderna in two framework contracts, including an option for 150 million cans that would not be delivered until 2022.
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As the company announced, production capacities are to be expanded significantly in Switzerland and Spain, among other places.
Twice as much active ingredient is to be produced at both locations as before.
Moderna is assuming that large amounts of corona vaccine will be required in the next few years for both those who have already been vaccinated and for the vaccination of children and adolescents.
The mRNA vaccine can also be quickly adapted to variants.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210429-99-398357 / 2