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BRUSSELS, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The European Union said on
Tuesday it had concluded exploratory talks with the French
drugmaker Valneva for the supply of up to 60 million
doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
Valneva is the eighth pharmaceutical firm with which the EU
has said it is in talks to buy COVID-19 vaccines. It has already
signed contracts with six companies, securing nearly 2.3 billion
doses.
"The envisaged contract with Valneva would provide for the
possibility for all EU Member States to purchase together 30
million doses, and they could further purchase up to 30 million
more doses," the EU Commission said in a statement, confirming
earlier Reuters reports.
Valneva has not yet begun large-scale Phase III clinical
trials for its candidate, which is based on an inactivated virus
and is, like other leading candidates, expected to need a
two-dose regimen.
Under the deal, the EU committed to giving the company an
undisclosed, non-refundable down payment to secure doses. The
remainder would be paid by EU governments willing to buy the
shot if the vaccine is approved in Europe.
Valneva confirmed that it was "in advanced discussions with
the European Commission (EC) for the supply of up to 60 million
doses of its COVID-19 vaccine".
It expects to report initial safety and immunogenicity data
in April 2021, and added: "If clinical development is
successful, an initial approval may be granted in the second
half of 2021."
Valneva is the second French company to receive EU funds to
develop a COVID-19 vaccine, after Sanofi, whose
vaccine, developed with the British firm GlaxoSmithKline
, is still in trials.
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio; Editing by
Kevin Liffey)
