The United States government will pay $ 2.1 billion to drug makers Glaxo and Sanofi for the production of COVID-19 vaccines for up to 50 million people, tests and treatments, the companies announced on Friday.
The largest grant awarded under the Trump administration’s “Operation Warp Speed,” the White House initiative focused on producing an affordable coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.
The agreement covers 100 million vaccines, two per person, at a cost of approximately $ 42 per person. The agreement allows the United States to order 500 million more doses from the two companies at an unspecified price.
According to Glaxo, more than half of the government’s $ 2.1 billion will support further development of the vaccine, including clinical trials.
Attempts by the United States to obtain or accelerate a vaccine have caused some worldwide concern about distribution.
In May, French officials said it would be “Unacceptable” for Americans will receive the first coronavirus vaccine developed by Sanofi, a French company, after CEO Paul Hudson said the pharmaceutical company would likely provide its vaccine. to the United States first because he was the first to provide research funding.
Last week, Pfizer and BioNTech, a German biotech company, announced that the United States had reached a $ 1.95 billion agreement with them for an initial order for 100 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine, which is now in Phase 3 of your test.
HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement announcing the Glaxo-Sanofi agreement that supporting the creation of more than one vaccine “increases the odds that we will have at least one safe and effective vaccine as soon as this year ends.”
Updated at 8:30 am
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