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The ink is dry, the contract is signed: Pfizer and Biontech will deliver 3 million doses of vaccines to Switzerland, provided they have been approved by Swissmedic.
The two companies are jointly developing the vaccine. Two doses of vaccine will probably be needed. This would allow 1.5 million people to be vaccinated in Switzerland.
Like Moderna, Biontch is based on a new type of technology: mRNA is a kind of messenger molecule that carries the instructions for the production of proteins. This gives the cells of the body the information they need to make a viral protein. As soon as the protein is produced in the body, the immune system recognizes it as foreign and thus produces antibodies against the virus.
For the federal government, the quality, safety and efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines are critical, according to the press release. They must be approved by Swissmedic and recommended by FOPH before they can be used.
Three contracts already arranged
The aim of the Covid-19 vaccination strategy is primarily to prevent the progression of serious diseases in people at risk and to ensure the maintenance of the Swiss health system.
So far, Switzerland has signed contracts with three vaccine manufacturers whose products are well advanced in clinical development. In addition to Pfizer / Biontech, these are the vaccine manufacturers Moderna (about 4.5 million doses of vaccine) and Astrazeneca (about 5.3 million doses of vaccine). All three vaccine manufacturers are currently in the approval process at Swissmedic.
In addition, Switzerland is a member of the Covax initiative in order to gain access to vaccines for up to 20 percent of the Swiss population.
The federal government is still in talks with several vaccine manufacturers, according to BAG’s announcement Monday. Since it is not yet clear at this time which vaccines would prevail, the federal government is targeting several vaccines. (ise)
