Moderna Inc and Swiss contract drugmaker Lonza Group said on Friday they would accelerate the manufacturing of the U.S. drug developer’s potential coronavirus vaccine.
The announcement comes at a time when drugmakers are pausing clinical
trials for other disease areas as they focus on testing potential
treatments for the coronavirus.
The experimental vaccine, mRNA-1273, is being tested in early-stage
trial by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, with Moderna expecting
to begin mid-stage trial in the second quarter.
Under the 10-year collaboration agreement, the companies aim to
manufacture up to a billion doses per year as technology transfer is
expected to begin in June, and the first batches of the vaccine are
expected to be manufactured in Lonza U.S. in July.
“Over time, the parties intend to establish additional production
suites across Lonza’s worldwide facilities, ultimately allowing for the
manufacture of material equivalent to up to 1 billion doses of mRNA-1273
per year for use worldwide”, the statement added.
The disease, which infected more than 3.2 million people worldwide
and killed around 232,000, set off a race among drugmakers to find an
antidote.
Earlier this month, Moderna got a $483 million funding from a U.S.
government agency to accelerate its COVID-19 vaccine development.
Separately, Basel-based Lonza’s pharmaceuticals, biotech and
nutrition business has received more than 40 enquiries regarding
projects relating to COVID-19, the company said earlier in April.
https://www.marketscreener.com/MODERNA-INC-47437573/news/Moderna-Switzerland-s-Lonza-strike-deal-on-potential-COVID-19-vaccine-30509881/
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