Germany, Pfizer and BioNTech Reject Patent Release for COVID-19 Vaccines

The government of Germany, the American pharmaceutical Pfizer and his German partner BioNTech They rejected the U.S.-backed proposal on Thursday to temporarily release patents for COVID-19 vaccines.

The government of Angela Merkel expressed on It is important that patents for COVID-19 vaccines remain protected.

“The suggestion by the United States to release patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines has important implications for vaccine production as a whole,” the German government spokesperson said, adding that “The protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and should continue to do so in the future.”

In the same spirit, the German laboratory BioNTech I affirm that patent protection does not limit the production of doses of messenger RNA nor does it explain the supply problems in the world. The company said that favors technology transfers and the supply of specific licenses to increase the production of your vaccine.

Describing the various details that can compromise production, the German company noted that while some of the “Important and rare raw materials” are not used in the best way, less vaccine will be produced. “Experts have already pointed out that installing and validating new production sites typically takes a year,” he said.

Also, the president of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, he said that is not “at all” in favor of the American appeal Yes instead, he suggested speeding up their production in existing factories.

The decision of the President of the United States, Joe biden, which could help poorer countries produce cheaper generic versions of the latest vaccines and speed up the global immunization campaign, has been supported by countries like France Yes Russia, While the European Union she was ready to discuss the proposal.

The Director of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised Biden’s “historic” decision.

$ 26 billion in vaccine revenue

The refusal of Pfizer Patent liberalization comes two days after US pharmaceutical company announcement first quarter net profit of $ 4.877 million, 45% more than the same period last year, thanks in large part to sales of its vaccine against covid-19.

Pfizer earned $ 0.86 per share between January and March, up from $ 0.60 a year ago, after seeing increase your turnover by 45% year on year, up to $ 14,582 million.

As explained in a statement, some 3.5 billion dollars in sales correspond to its anticovid vaccine BNT162b2, which has already become the the main source of income for the business.

Pfizer, moreover, he announced that during the whole year hopes to make around $ 26 billion from the vaccine, taking into account the contracts signed so far, for which it will supply at least 1,600 million doses to various countries.

So far, the drug company expected to get around $ 15 billion, so it has revised upwards its forecasts and I hope your annual turnover is between $ 70.500 million and $ 72.500 million, well above its initial calculations, which placed it around 60,000 million.

The revenue obtained by Pfizer is only part of that generated by the coronavirus vaccine, since the American company shares it with its German partner BioNTech.

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