AstraZeneca Gets $1B from U.S. to Deliver COVID-19 Vax by Fall

AstraZeneca received support of more than $1 billion from the U.S. BARDA for the development, production and delivery of a potential COVID-19  vaccine, starting in the fall. The development program includes a Phase III clinical trial with 30,000 participants and a pediatric trial.

AstraZeneca is collaborating with several countries and organizations to make University of Oxford Jenner Institute’s potential COVID-19 vaccine widely accessible around the world. The vaccine contains the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the company hopes the vaccine can deliver a strong immune response from one dose by triggering the body to produce the spike protein and attack the coronavirus upon infection.

AZ concluded the first agreements for at least 400 million doses and has secured total manufacturing capacity for one billion doses so far and will begin first deliveries in September 2020. AstraZeneca aims to conclude further agreements supported by several parallel supply chains, which will expand capacity further over the next months to ensure the delivery of a globally accessible vaccine.  

The company is also working with international organizations such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization (WHO), for the fair allocation and distribution of the potential vaccine around the world. AZ is in discussions with governments around the world to increase access.

AZ recently joined forces with the UK Government to support Oxford University’s potential vaccine, which has progressed rapidly to expand access around the world. The Company will supply 100 million doses to the UK.

AstraZeneca has now finalized its license agreement with Oxford University for the recombinant adenovirus vaccine, formerly ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and now known as AZD1222. It follows the recent global development and distribution agreement with the University’s Jenner Institute and the Oxford Vaccine Group. AstraZeneca has also agreed to support the establishment of a joint research center at Oxford University for pandemic preparedness research.