Commission to seal deal with Moderna for up to 160M doses of coronavirus vax

The European Commission will complete a contract to secure up to 160 million doses of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine Wednesday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today.

The contract secures 80 million doses and allows Brussels the option of purchasing an additional 80 million, according to the agreement made in August. Von der Leyen said the jab could be “highly effective,” citing preliminary results reported by the company last week that showed it could be 94.5 percent effective.

“Vaccination can help and is crucial to end this pandemic and overcome this virus,” von der Leyen said.

This is the sixth vaccine contract the Commission has completed — creating “one of the most comprehensive COVID-19 vaccine portfolios” in the world, said von der Leyen. She confirmed last week that Brussels is also in early negotiations with Novavax, as first reported by POLITICO in early September.

Brussels has to date secured millions of doses of the three leading coronavirus vaccine candidates, which could be approved by regulators before the end of the year.

The Commission president stressed that all possible coronavirus vaccines will be tested “very carefully” by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for safety and efficacy. If proven and authorized by regulators, each EU country will get the vaccine at the same time based on population size.

“The coronavirus pandemic has affected our lives severely: Many people are ill and have lost their jobs,” von der Leyen said. “And now many Europeans are worrying they can’t see their families or their friends over Christmas.”

“While restrictive measures can slow down the spread of the virus … we all know that only a safe and effective vaccine will provide a lasting, sustainable solution to this pandemic,” she added.

Von der Leyen also stressed that Brussels is trying to ensure vaccines go to the rest of the world, noting the Commission and EU countries have contributed €800 million to the COVAX facility, which is purchasing vaccines for low and middle income countries.

This article is part of POLITICO’s premium policy service: Pro HealthCare. From drug pricing, EMA, vaccines, pharma and more, our specialized journalists keep you on top of the topics driving the health care policy agenda. Email [email protected] for a complimentary trial.