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By James Paton and Suzi Ring
The successes of Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc.’s trials have fueled hopes that a Covid-19 vaccine is coming soon. But much of the world, outside of wealthy countries like the United States, is relying on the shot of another company to escape the crisis.
Results from the final phase of AstraZeneca Plc vaccine studies are expected to be released soon, and the stakes for low- and middle-income countries are immense. The plan developed with the University of Oxford represents more than 40% of the supplies intended for these countries, on the basis of the agreements followed by the London-based research company Airfinity Ltd.
The Astra vaccine costs a fraction of the price set by Pfizer and will be manufactured in several countries, from India to Brazil. It should be easier to deploy far away than other plans that must be stored in ultra-cold temperatures. But if UK partners cannot match the high efficiency levels provided by Pfizer and Moderna or rapidly deploy their inoculation, the pandemic could continue to spread death and disease in countries that depend on it.
“There is a lot to do with the Astra vaccine,” said Suerie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Center at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. For low-income countries, “that’s huge”.
Pfizer applied for emergency use authorization in the United States on Friday and could begin deployment in mid-December. While rich countries are able to receive the first supplies of Pfizer and Moderna projectiles thanks to the large quantities they have purchased in advance, most regions depend heavily on companies that follow the pioneers, in particular AstraZeneca, Novavax Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. Supplies are likely to struggle to meet demand in the months following the arrival of vaccines, raising concerns about global access.
A larger population
“The vast majority of the world’s population lives in low- and middle-income countries,” said Mark Eccleston-Turner, an infectious disease and law specialist at Keele University in England. “It’s not just a problem for the people there, far away from us. It is a problem for most of the people in the world. “
A global program called Covax has made progress in an ambitious effort to equitably deploy future vaccines around the world, gaining buy-in from dozens of countries and making deals for 700 million doses to date.
AstraZeneca has reached a deal to deliver the initiative, while a collaboration including the Serum Institute of India has agreed to ramp up production of Astra or Novavax vaccines for low- and middle-income countries, at a maximum price of $ 3 per dose, with a secure plus option. A Covax pact with Sanofi and its partner GlaxoSmithKline Plc followed last month.
The program, led by the World Health Organization, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Gavi, Vaccine Alliance, expects more deals in the coming weeks. Pfizer and BioNTech, as well as Moderna, remain in talks with Covax.
AstraZeneca has been by far the most active in securing supply agreements. Of all the volumes committed worldwide, nearly a third – around 3.2 billion doses – are expected to come from the British company, according to Airfinity. The research group found that more than 50 low- and middle-income countries would receive the photo from Astra and Oxford, in regions such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe, as well as wealthy governments.
If the vaccine is successful, it will not be easy to meet this demand. In the UK, a lack of projectile supply expected by the end of the year casts doubt on how quickly AstraZeneca will be able to immunize the public. Still, the company said it is confident it can start delivering hundreds of millions of doses on an ongoing basis once it gets approval.
Price advantage
One of the main factors behind dependence on the Astra-Oxford vaccine is the initial price. Astra has said she will not benefit from the pandemic and the vaccine will cost between $ 4 and $ 5 a dose, although health advocates are concerned what this company and others will charge when the crisis is considered. as finished.
The United States agreed in July to obtain the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech as part of an agreement setting the price at $ 19.50 per dose, or $ 39 for a two-dose vaccination, a level according to BioNTech that could become a benchmark for developed countries. Moderna said he charges between $ 32 and $ 37 a dose for small offers and less for larger purchases.
“These prices really risk putting vaccines out of reach for much of the world,” said Margaret Wurth, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch in New York.
Astra-Oxford also has benefits beyond cost when it comes to deployment in low- and middle-income countries. The global reach of manufacturing alleviates concerns about countries restricting exports, and the product should be easier to transport and store, according to Eccleston-Turner, the Keele expert.
The jab can mostly be stored at refrigerator temperature, while those from Pfizer and Moderna, based on new messenger RNA technology, require freezing for longer-term storage and transport.
This is why so many countries are eagerly awaiting Astra’s results and focusing on the next candidates, including those from China. Russia also plans to produce the Sputnik V vaccine in other countries such as India and Brazil.
“All the rich countries are now fairly well positioned,” said Moon, the health specialist in Geneva. For developing countries, “it’s not like they sit down and say we will see what happens to us. They aggressively pursued what they could with the means at their disposal. “
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