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COVID-19

EU Secures 160 Million Doses of Moderna Vaccine, Pushes for Improved Vaccine Supplies

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the European Union continues to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, health policy spokesman Peter Liese from the European Parliament stressed the importance of securing sufficient vaccine supplies. The EU has secured 160 million doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine from Moderna, a US-American manufacturer with production sites on the European continent. This development, combined with the expected approval of CureVac's mRNA vaccine, is expected to significantly increase vaccination rates in the EU by spring.

Key Takeaways:

  • The EU has secured 160 million doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine from Moderna, a US-American manufacturer with production sites on the European continent.
  • The European Parliament's health policy spokesman, Peter Liese, expects the approval of Moderna's vaccine to accelerate vaccination rates in the EU.
  • Liese criticizes the EMA for not approving an amendment application by BioNTech SE, which could have increased the vaccine supply by 20% with careful work and the use of special syringes.
  • BioNTech had initially applied for 5 vaccine doses per ampoule but was later able to extract 6 doses with special syringes.
  • The Federal Ministry of Health and the state health ministries have confirmed that 6 doses are possible even without the special syringes.
  • Liese proposes a cooperation between the two German manufacturers BioNTech and CureVac in a 10-point paper on vaccine supply in the EU.
  • The most pressing issues now are the limited approval of AstraZeneca's vector-based vaccine, which has lower efficacy compared to mRNA vaccines from BioNTech and Moderna, and the potential for a better protective effect from a half-dose vaccine.

Statistics:

  • 160 million doses of mRNA-1273 vaccine secured by the EU from Moderna.
  • 20% increase in the vaccine supply possible with the use of special syringes and careful work.
  • 6 doses can be obtained from one ampoule with the use of special syringes.
  • 5 doses were initially obtained from one ampoule before the approval of using special syringes.
  • 10-point paper proposed by Peter Liese on vaccine supply in the EU, including cooperation between BioNTech and CureVac.

Sources:

  • European Parliament, Spokesman for Health Policy, Peter Liese

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