(Alliance News) - French pharmaceutical company Sanofi SA and UK peer GlaxoSmithKline PLC have agreed to make available 200 million doses of their Covid-19 vaccine to the Covax facility, the companies announced on Wednesday.
The Covax facility is a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of eventual Covid-19 vaccines.
Sanofi and GSK intend to make available their adjuvanted recombinant protein-based Covid-19 vaccine, if approved by regulatory authorities and subject to contract.
"The commitment we are announcing today for the Covax facility can help us together stand a better chance of bringing the pandemic under control," said Thomas Triomphe, executive vice president and global head of Sanofi Pasteur.
Roger Connor, president of Glaxo's vaccines division, added: "We are proud to be working with Sanofi to make this adjuvanted recombinant protein-based vaccine available to the countries signed up to the Covax facility as soon as possible - this has the potential to be a significant contribution to the global fight against Covid-19."
Sanofi and Glaxo had initiated a phase 1/2 study for the Covid vaccine in September with a total of 440 subjects enrolled. First results from the study are expected in early December, to support the initiation of a phase 3 study before the end of the year.
If these data are sufficient for license application, the companies intend to seek regulatory approvals for the vaccine from the first half of 2021. In parallel, the companies are scaling up manufacturing of the antigen and adjuvant respectively.
The Covax facility is part of Covax, a global collaboration of governments, health organisations, businesses and philanthropic organisations working to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
Covax is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and World Health Organisation. Over 180 countries and economies have signed onto the Covax facility to get timely and cost-effective access to COVID-19 vaccines.
By Tapan Panchal; tapanpanchal@alliancenews.com
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Glaxosmithkline (GSK)