AstraZeneca said June 4 it has partnered with several organizations to help manufacture and distribute up to 2 billion doses of the experimental COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with Oxford University.
The U.K.-based drugmaker has partnered with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, and Gavi, a public–private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to vaccines in poor countries, STAT reported.
Under the partnership, the companies will spend $750 million to manufacture and distribute 300 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2020, assuming it is proven safe and effective, according to STAT. Data on the vaccine isn't expected before August.
The partnership between AstraZeneca, CEPI and Gavi is the first made through the Access to COVID-19 Tools (act) Accelerator, a program co-chaired by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Health Organization designed to ensure the fair allocation and distribution of the vaccine across the world.
AstraZeneca said CEPI will lead development and manufacturing of the vaccine, and Gavi will lead the procurement.
AstraZeneca also reached a licensing agreement with the Serum Institute of India to supply 1 billion doses of the vaccine to low and middle-income countries. The institute committed to providing 700 million doses of the vaccine before the end of the year, STAT reported.
AstraZeneca also previously announced plans to ship 100 million doses of the vaccine to the U.K. and 200 million to the U.S.
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