Afeyan’s Moderna signs new contracts for COVID-19 vaccine

US bio-tech company Moderna Therapeutics signed on May 28 a contract with the Swiss CordenPharma to supply the increased volume of lipids used for the production of experimental vaccine for COVID-19, trying to increase the production capacity aimed at meeting the global demand, Voice of America reports.

At the moment there is no vaccine and treatment measures for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and according to specialists, before having a safe and effective vaccine, it will take one or one and a half year from the start of the works. The global leaders think that the vaccine is the only real measure to re-launch economies because it can limit the spread of the virus. Nevertheless, there is a concern that some countries, including the United States, may try to accumulate vaccine stocks as it’s less likely that it would be possible to satisfy the global demand at the initial stage of the production.

Last week Moderna announced that its possible vaccine, which was first tested in the US, has developed protective antibodies in a small group of healthy volunteers, which gives hope that it will be effective. If succeeded, Moderna plans to deliver millions of doses monthly in 2020 and tens of millions in 2021.

The company has signed a 10-year contract with the Swiss Lonza to accelerate the process of vaccine production.

Moderna’s shares rose by 2% on May 28.