AstraZeneca Signs 10th Contract to Scale Up COVID-19 Vaccine Production

AstraZeneca has signed its 10th agreement with a contract manufacturer to scale up production of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222.

The latest agreement is with Scotland-based Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services, which will supply the vaccine for use in clinical trials. The promising vaccine licensed from Oxford University is currently in clinical testing at multiple sites across the UK.

AstraZeneca has previously entered into vaccine production deals with other partners, including Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions and the Serum Institute of India to supply billions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine once one is approved. The production capability deals are all aimed at deploying a vaccine by year’s end if possible.