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MANILA, Philippines – Negotiations for a possible coronavirus vaccine supply deal with the American biotech company Moderna may begin on or before December 30, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday.
“Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. will begin negotiations with the American biotech company Moderna on or before Wednesday of the following week,” Locsin said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
The country’s top diplomat added that the Philippine ambassador to the United States, José Manuel Romualdez, is helping in the negotiations.
Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine previously received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the US Food and Drug Administration, which will allow the pharmaceutical company to apply for an EUA in the Philippines.
The Philippine government and private companies have signed a supply agreement with British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca that involves at least two million doses of its vaccine.
In addition to AstraZeneca, the government is also investigating vaccines from Sinovac Biotech of China, Gamaleya Research Institute of Russia, and Pfizer of the United States.
The Philippines has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases in the entire Southeast Asian region, preceded only by Indonesia. As of Sunday, there are 459,789 confirmed coronavirus infections in the country, including 429,134 recoveries and 8,947 deaths.
JE
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