AstraZeneca and the EU: proof of the power of the vaccine

The nerves of the EU are on the edge: less vaccine than expected and the accusation that they have not asked for enough. And now AstraZeneca: Why is the pharmaceutical giant treating the EU as an annoying trading partner?

As of early January, AstraZeneca’s vaccine was still a ray of hope: it was much cheaper than the competing product from BioNtech and Pfizer, and also easier to vaccinate, even in doctor’s offices, without the need for an expensive freeze. . The EU had agreed at least 300 million cans with AstraZeneca.

Helga schmidt
ARD studio Brussels

Holger Beckmann
ARD studio Brussels

Last Friday, the group sent the first bad news to Brussels: less than half of the guaranteed vaccine doses could be delivered. Instead of 80 million cans, only 31 million in the first quarter. The reason, bottlenecks at a Belgian plant, raises scathing questions in Brussels: Why are only deliveries to the EU reduced while Britain receives its vaccine doses in full?

The EU spent millions on vaccine development

AstraZeneca is one of the pharmaceutical companies that the European Union supports with several hundred million euros. 336 million are reserved for AstraZeneca alone. This should speed up research on the vaccine and ensure rapid production. Part of the money has already come in, the contribution has not yet been paid in full.

Much has been pre-funded, says the head of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at the digital world economic forum in Davos, now it is necessary to comply. AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot will also speak on the same forum. He does not say a word about the EU accusations. Instead, it calls for global solidarity in the fight against the corona virus. “We are only safe when everyone is safe,” explains the chief pharmacist, so AstraZeneca decided to develop the vaccine on a non-profit basis: “We don’t make money from the product.”

Added value of the Corona vaccine

Soriot put the Swedish-British company on the road to success more than six years ago. At the time, the world market leader, Pfizer, wanted to take over the drugmaker, for a gigantic price: Pfizer had offered $ 117 billion. But Soriot refused, he believed in his own future and he was right.

It was only in December that AstraZeneca took over a major US competitor and in recent years has made a name for itself internationally with research and manufacturing of cancer and diabetes drugs. The company also develops preparations for extremely rare diseases. According to analysts, the development of the corona vaccine also shows the potential of the Group. In any case, AstraZeneca has finally secured international recognition and additional added value. A company that no one can ignore, at least not when it comes to specialty pharmaceuticals for serious diseases. Corona is definitely one of them.

Soriot’s Test of Strength

Soriot proves the test of power with the EU. The AstraZeneca boss did not respond to the criticism until Wednesday, five days after the delivery volume was reduced. Soriot said in an interview with several European newspapers that his company had not agreed on a delivery guarantee with the EU, but only a “best effort solution”.. The fixed amounts are not specified in the contract, but rather a statement of intent: “We have our ‘best effort’ He promised that we will do our best. “And further:” We like ambitious targets, but we have not given them any guarantees. ”

One tries, but does not want to guarantee anything: the interpretation of the treaty caused outrage in the commission. This is a false statement, Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides responded with unusual sharpness, “not applicable and unacceptable.” In Brussels, the question arises of the reliability of the contractual partner.

There are also doubts about the efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine in people over 65 years of age. AstraZeneca cannot completely dissipate them. “In the studies that have been conducted there have been very, very few older people who have participated,” says the director of the European Medicines Agency EMA, Emer Cooke. AstraZeneca is in the process of submitting new data to the approval authority. Why hadn’t the pharmaceutical company given the large group of older people proportionally adequate consideration from the start? AstraZeneca has not yet answered this question.

Loss of confidence in AstraZeneca?

AstraZeneca’s test of strength with the EU will result in a loss of confidence in the company, says Peter Liese, a CDU MEP. “That will show the market value,” predicts the health expert. “A company that completely ruins its reputation in the world’s largest market will suffer long-term damage.”

Then Thursday night a new U-turn from AstraZeneca. Soriot wants to recover part of the announced delivery cut, reports the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, citing EU circles.

Even in the conflict over the question of what is in the treaty with the EU, Soirot now seems willing to compromise. Soriot no longer insisted on the statement that the contract did not contain any specific information about the delivery obligation, according to the “FAZ”. According to information from ARD Studies Brussels The amounts of vaccine to be administered have also been precisely defined by the EU and firmly agreed with AstraZeneca.