(Adds quotes, appeal for donations to COVAX)
GENEVA, May 6 (Reuters) - The GAVI vaccine alliance on
Thursday welcomed U.S. President Joe Biden's support for waiving
intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines and also
urged Washington to help manufacturers transfer know-how to
boost global production.
The Geneva-based group, which co-leads the COVAX
dose-sharing programme with the World Health Organization (WHO),
faces major supply constraints after India suspended vaccine
exports due to its major COVID-19 epidemic.
"We recognise also the significance of the (Biden)
administration’s commitment to work towards increasing raw
material production, which will have an immediate impact on
alleviating current global supply constraints," it told Reuters
in a statement.
"GAVI urges now that in the interests of global equitable
access, that the US supports manufacturers to transfer not only
IP but also know-how in a bid to urgently boost global
production."
The AstraZeneca vaccine, made by the Serum Institute
of India, has been the mainstay of COVAX so far. The facility
has provided 53 million COVID-19 vaccines to 121 countries and
jurisdictions. It aims to have 2 billion doses available by the
end of 2021, half of which will go to 92 lower-income countries.
“Gavi also urges the international community to share doses
with COVAX immediately to help those countries that have been
worst hit by current global supply constraints and urgently need
to protect their most at-risk populations," the statement said.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by John Stonestreet
and Nick Macfie)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
