Major Drug Distributor Could Pitch in on Efforts to Transport COVID-19 Vaccines

At least one major drug distributor could join the fray to ship COVID-19 vaccine shots across the country and offer some slack to McKesson, the firm currently handling distribution of Moderna’s vaccine, as a third vaccine candidate appears close to authorization.

AmerisourceBergen, a massive drug wholesaler that provides drug distribution services in the U.S. and UK, told FDAnews that it has already shared a potential vaccine distribution model with the Biden transition team, though it would not elaborate on details at this point. The company, which had an approximate revenue of $179.6 billion in 2019, would be a strong addition to the vaccine shipping initiative as the Biden administration seeks to ramp up initial inoculations.

“The Biden transition team and the administration continues to be receptive and open to our feedback,” a spokesperson said. “We continue to appreciate the opportunities to lend our expertise and share information regarding a full pharmaceutical distribution industry approach.”

Another big-name drug shipper, Cardinal Health, has also reportedly pitched a plan for vaccine distribution to the Biden administration, though it would not confirm this. Likewise, the Biden administration did not return a request for comment about the two companies possibly getting involved with distribution efforts.

It’s not known if the companies would help out on distribution of Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer opted to strike off on its own, handling shipping of its two-dose vaccine without the support of the government’s chosen vaccine distributor, McKesson, due to its vaccine’s extreme temperature requirements.

With Johnson & Johnson potentially filing for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its single-shot vaccine as soon as this week, the inoculation could soon see FDA authorization. A third vaccine, while an extremely welcome addition to the U.S. arsenal against the pandemic, would impose an even heavier lift for McKesson in terms of distribution if it’s the only one shouldering the burden, though its one-dose nature makes it easier to ship. — James Miessler