Novavax delays EU vaccine supply deal amid production problems - source

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

RACE FOR A CURE
MARCH 25, 2021 11:57 AM UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

Exclusive: Novavax delays EU vaccine supply deal amid production problems - source

By Francesco Guarascio, Carl O’Donnell
5 MIN READ

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Novavax is delaying signing a contract to supply its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union, an EU official involved in the talks told Reuters, as the U.S. biotech company warned it was struggling to source some raw materials.

Prolonging the talks might further complicate the EU’s vaccination plans as the bloc had planned to sign a deal early this year for at least 100 million doses of Novavax’s vaccine, with an option for another 100 million.

The EU official, who asked not to named as the talks are confidential, said the company had postponed signing a deal for weeks, citing legal issues in meetings with the bloc’s vaccine negotiators.

“They are slowing down the process of finishing the contract,” the official, who attended the meetings, told Reuters.

Informally, a Novavax executive had said a slow pace in negotiations was warranted because the company was having production problems, the EU official said.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-eu-novavax-exclusi/exclusive-novavax-delays-eu-vaccine-supply-deal-amid-production-problems-source-idUSKBN2BH2GY

[drray23]

1. My brother who lives in France was telling me about the current woes

Basically, they did not invest early enough and negotiate larger quantities from manufacturers early on . Now they have to confine again and play catchup because the suppliers they do have are having issues (astra-zeneca and now novovax)

I hope that once we have it under control over here, we start helping other countries. That would be well needed instance where the US can reestablish a responsible leadership which was annihilated during Trump years. We have secured about twice what we need.