France says pharma giant Sanofi could make rivals' Covid vaccines | Inquirer News

France says pharma giant Sanofi could make rivals’ Covid vaccines

/ 10:38 PM January 15, 2021

France says pharma giant Sanofi could make rivals' Covid vaccines

A photograph taken on March 27, 2020, shows a Sanofi’s logo at the headquarters in Paris, during a strict lockdown in France aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Paris, France Sanofi, France’s biggest pharmaceutical company, could help produce foreign-developed Covid-19 vaccines pending the launch of its own vaccine, which will not be ready for months, a government minister said Friday.

Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told Radio Classique that vaccines developed by BioNTech, which partners with Pfizer, and Janssen, owned by Johnson and Johnson, were the most likely choices for Sanofi to lend a helping hand.

Article continues after this advertisement

The world has been scrambling to develop and produce enough anti-Covid vaccines, with inoculation drives hampered by limited stocks of doses and logistical constraints.

FEATURED STORIES

France had high hopes that its national champion Sanofi would contribute to the first wave of coronavirus inoculations, but the company’s vaccine will not be ready before the end of the year.

Pannier-Runacher said she had therefore begun talks with Sanofi to act as a sub-contractor for other firms while it completed its own Covid jabs.

Article continues after this advertisement

“We are looking at this together with them,” she said, “and they are examining with BioNTech, on the one hand, and Janssen, on the other, whether it would be possible.”

Article continues after this advertisement

Sanofi itself told AFP that it was evaluating “the technical feasibility of temporarily carrying out some production stages to support other makers of Covid-19 vaccines,” without naming either BioNTech or Janssen.

Article continues after this advertisement

Talks were still “at a very preliminary stage,” it said.

Pannier-Runacher said the main question was whether Sanofi had the spare capacity to make the doses in three to five months, with active ingredients adding another a few months, in a process “that usually takes 12 to 18 months.”

Article continues after this advertisement

The minister rejected criticism of Sanofi’s tardiness in developing its vaccine, saying the company was only “three months late” compared to its July target, and that its performance was still “extraordinary.”

Delpharm, a French sub-contractor for the pharmaceutical industry, said in November that it would produce the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine in its factory in northwestern France.

Recipharm, another sub-contractor, will be producing the vaccine developed by Moderna starting late February or early March, Pannier-Runacher said last week.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said Friday that any vaccines produced in France would be part of the total number of doses ordered by the European Union, and distributed in France as part of the national quota negotiated between EU members.

For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.

TAGS: Coronavirus, COVID-19, France, Health, pandemic, Pfizer, Sanofi, SARS-CoV-2, vaccine, Virus

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.