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* EU is not taking extra doses under existing contracts
* No decision on whether EU may seek new AZ, J&J contracts
* EU betting on mRNA vaccines, in talks for Pfizer mega-deal
By Francesco Guarascio
BRUSSELS, April 21 (Reuters) - The European Union won't take
up an extra 300 million doses of AstraZeneca and Johnson
& Johnson COVID-19 vaccines that it has secured as
options under existing contracts, a senior EU official told
Reuters.
The decision is the latest sign Brussels is looking to
distance itself from AstraZeneca amid simmering tensions after
the drugmaker slashed its delivery targets due to production
problems.
It is also further evidence the bloc is sidelining vaccines
that have been linked with a very rare, but potentially fatal
side effect, and is confident current suppliers - led by
Pfizer/BioNTech - will deliver enough doses to
inoculate at least 70% of EU adults by the end of the summer.
Recently, the EU has sought to buy more shots from Pfizer
and its partner BioNTech, stepping up its bets on the messenger
RNA (mRNA) technology they use, as opposed to the viral vector
technology used by AstraZeneca and J&J.
The 27-nation bloc has a contract for a total of 400 million
doses with J&J, of which only 200 million have already been
ordered, and a separate contract with AstraZeneca for 400
million shots, of which only 300 million have been bought.
"There is no need to exercise the options" for the extra
doses, the official who is directly involved in talks with
vaccine makers said.
EU governments are under pressure to accelerate vaccination
programmes, which have lagged those in Britain and the United
States due to supply delays and safety concerns, to help tame a
third wave of infections.
A spokesman for the European Commission, which coordinates
talks with vaccine makers, said options can be exercised at any
time, but declined further comment.
The official, who asked not to be named because the matter
is confidential, said discussions were ongoing about further
supplies for booster shots and coronavirus variants, and it was
premature to rule AstraZeneca and J&J out of future contracts.
But the technology on which their shots are based is less
appealing than other vaccine platforms, the official said. Last
week, Italian newspaper La Stampa said the EU would not renew
contracts with the companies when they expire.
Both vaccines have been linked to very rare cases of blood
clots, which have led to temporary suspensions of their rollout
in Europe, although the EU drugs regulator has concluded the
benefits of both vaccines outweigh the risks.
Both companies have also had production problems, with
AstraZeneca in particular slashing its EU supply targets by two
thirds to 100 million doses by the end of June, sparking fury in
Brussels.
The EU official said AstraZeneca's supply problems had
convinced EU negotiators not to seek the optional doses from the
company. Under the contract, that option should have been
exercised by early March, although the EU could have still tried
to order more doses after then.
A spokesman for AstraZeneca declined to comment.
The EU official added that, in the case of J&J, initial
safety concerns about viral vector technology had pushed
negotiators not to seek optional doses and might also prevent
talks for a new contract.
A spokeswoman for J&J declined to comment.
The EU's existing COVID-19 vaccine contracts have been
widely criticised for being too lenient with companies because
they set quarterly rather than monthly delivery targets,
although other countries have done the same.
Last week, the Commission said it was starting talks with
Pfizer and BioNTech to buy up to 1.8 billion vaccine doses for
the coming years under a new contract with monthly targets, as
it prepares for the possible spread of new virus variants and
potential waning protection from initial shots.
The EU source said the new contract with Pfizer and BioNTech
was expected to meet a large share of the EU's demand in 2022
and 2023.
The bloc, with a population of nearly 450 million, has
already ordered 600 million Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines for this
year. It has also bought 310 million doses from Moderna
to be delivered this year, and has an option to buy another 150
million doses next year. Moderna also uses mRNA technology.
The EU also has contracts with CureVac and Sanofi, but
neither of them has completed clinical trials.
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio;
Editing by Josephine Mason and Mark Potter)
