KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The U.S. government has reached a $1.95 billion deal with Pfizer in producing a COVID-19 vaccine, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar announced Wednesday.
The goal of the deal is for large-scale production and nationwide delivery of 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States following the vaccine’s successful manufacture and approval. The agreement also allows the U.S. government to acquire an additional 500 million doses.
“Through Operation Warp Speed, we are assembling a portfolio of vaccines to increase the odds that the American people will have at least one safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year,” Azar said. “Depending on success in clinical trials, today’s agreement will enable the delivery of approximately 100 million doses of vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.”
The federal government will own the 100 million doses of vaccine initially produced as a result of this agreement, and Pfizer will deliver the doses in the United States if the product receives Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), provided clinical trials are successful.
The company would begin nationwide delivery of these vaccine doses to locations at the U.S. government’s direction beginning in the fourth quarter of 2020, and the vaccine would be available to the American people at no cost.
Pfizer had already received a Fast Track from the FDA in developing a vaccine, of which the company says two of the four in development appear to be promising.
“The FDA’s decision to grant these two COVID-19 vaccine candidates Fast Track designation signifies an important milestone in the efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2,” said Peter Honig, Senior Vice President, Global Regulatory Affairs, Pfizer. “We look forward to continue working closely with the FDA throughout the clinical development of this program.”
Company officials say that the next phase of development could come as soon as the end of July, and are anticipating enrolling up to 30,000 subjects.
Other vaccine projects are said to be in development by separate companies, as well.
