[ad_1]
The vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, was the first to be approved in the EU (at the end of December last year). It has been previously approved by the United Kingdom (United Kingdom), Canada and the United States, according to The Guardian. These and other countries have also approved a vaccine developed by Moderna or the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, but the EU has not.
Ugur Sahin, director of Germany-based BioNTech, told Der Spiegel that the process for ordering vaccines in Europe “was certainly not as fast and fluid as in other countries,” increasingly criticizing the slow vaccination program of the EU.
The doctor, who started a biotech company with his wife, Ozlem Tureci (who holds the position of medical director), said the situation “does not seem hopeful” because the EU mistakenly thought that several different vaccines would be prepared at the same time, dividing orders.
Ozlem Tureci
“It was assumed that many other companies would develop vaccines as well,” Sahin explained. – It seems that the EU thought it would buy enough doses, the situation would not be so bad and it would be managed. That attitude surprised me. “
Tureci told Der Spiegel that the EU thought it could choose from “many different manufacturers.”
“It just came to our attention then. But in the end, it turned out that many manufacturers could not develop the vaccine that quickly, he said.” And it was too late to make up for the previous undersized orders.
Uguras Sahinas
The United States ordered $ 600 million. BioNTech and Pfizer got vaccinated in July, while the EU waited until November and ordered half. Sahin said both companies were increasing production as much as possible and “want to fill the gap left by the non-approval of other vaccines.”
According to him, BioNTech plans to open a new plant in Marburg in February, “much earlier than planned.” During the first 2021. This plant is expected to produce 250 million. vaccine dose.
Mr. Tureci added that BioNTech had signed contracts with five pharmaceutical companies in Europe to increase production and was negotiating with others.
“By the end of January, we should know more precisely how many doses we can produce,” Sahin said.
It is strictly prohibited to use the information published by DELFI on other websites, in the media or elsewhere, or to distribute our material in any way without consent, and if consent has been obtained, it is necessary to indicate DELFI as the source .
[ad_2]
