European Commission Signs New Supply Deals With Pfizer and Moderna

The EU has struck new supply agreements with Moderna and Pfizer, boosting its total COVID-19 vaccine arsenal to up to 2.6 billion doses, enough to inoculate the bloc’s 446 million citizen many times over, but it is promising to share with “neighbors and partners.”

The European Commission has secured an additional 300 million doses from Moderna on behalf of the EU’s 27 member states, with 150 million to be supplied this year, and with an option to purchase 150 million more in 2022. The latest deal builds on a previous contract for 160 million doses, which started rolling out to member states last month (DID, Jan. 7).

The commission has also inked a deal with Pfizer for a further 200 million doses of its vaccine co-developed with BioNTech to be delivered in 2021, with an option for an additional 100 million this year. The new contract is in addition to 300 million doses currently being shipped by Pfizer following the conditional authorization of its vaccine in late December (DID, Dec. 22, 2020).

Pfizer has reportedly failed to deliver an estimated one-third of vaccines to EU member states according to the contracted schedule. The company has acknowledged delays in shipments while it upgraded its Belgian plant, but said it has increased deliveries starting this week (DID, Jan. 20).

“We will supply the fully committed quantity of vaccine doses in the first quarter and significantly more in the second quarter,” a Pfizer spokesperson told FDAnews. The company is working with other manufacturers and contract suppliers to help meet its obligations.

In related news, the commission said it aims to include a clause in vaccine contracts requiring them to be updated to target new coronavirus variants, and Moderna has acknowledged that it is in negotiations on this issue. ― Jason Scott