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GALWAY, IRELAND--February 23, 2021--Written by Martin Lynch, European News
Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--AstraZeneca is planning to build a new COVID-19 vaccine plant in Germany with IDT Biologika to boost vaccine output and overcome problems with initial European supplies.
This is a large expansion of the partners' existing relationship, in which IDT Biologika provides glass vials and injects the liquid vaccine into them before capping and boxing them for shipping. The vaccine is currently made at other sites in Europe. The new deal will see the companies jointly build a new vaccine production facility at IDT Biologika's Dessau site. The aim is to build up to five 2,000-litre bioreactors capable of making tens of millions of doses per month of the vaccine. The new assets are estimated to be operational by the end of 2022. The partners said the new plant could also allow for the manufacture of other vaccines sharing a similar manufacturing process, "greatly expanding Europe's domestic vaccine production capability." The plant will give IDT Biologika one of Europe's largest vaccine manufacturing capacities which it claimed would play an important part in ensuring Europe's future vaccine supply independence.
Earlier this month, Industrial Info reported that the European Commission (EC) had granted conditional marketing authorisation (CMA) for the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine. The new plant should help defuse a public falling out between both parties when AstraZeneca had warned that its actual deliveries of the vaccine might fall by as much as 60% from previous estimates. For additional information, see February 8, 2021, article--Europe Approves AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine and February 1, 2021, article--Europe Warns AstraZeneca On Low COVID-19 Vaccine Deliveries.
"This agreement will greatly help Europe build an independent vaccine manufacturing capability that will allow it to meet the challenges of the current pandemic and create strategic supply capacity for the future," explained Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca chief executive officer. "We are delighted to be investing with our partner IDT Biologika in the future health, security and wellbeing of millions of citizens across Europe. I would like to thank the German Federal Government and the European Commission for their support in our efforts."
Jürgen Betzing, chief executive officer, IDT Biologika, added: The agreement underscores our expertise in the production of demanding vector-based vaccines and our ability to provide a one-stop solution, from creating drug substance, through to "fill and finish" and secondary packaging."
In related vaccine-manufacturing news, Pfizer/BioNTech stated recently that they had completed the manufacturing upgrades needed to overcome recent European delays in the production of its COVID-19 vaccine, while promising an extra 75 million doses by the spring. The companies said that their European manufacturing network has continually expanded since it received its first vaccine authorisations, from three partners to 13 currently. For additional information, see February 9, 2021, article--Pfizer/BioNTech Promise Extra 75 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses for EU.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
This is a large expansion of the partners' existing relationship, in which IDT Biologika provides glass vials and injects the liquid vaccine into them before capping and boxing them for shipping. The vaccine is currently made at other sites in Europe. The new deal will see the companies jointly build a new vaccine production facility at IDT Biologika's Dessau site. The aim is to build up to five 2,000-litre bioreactors capable of making tens of millions of doses per month of the vaccine. The new assets are estimated to be operational by the end of 2022. The partners said the new plant could also allow for the manufacture of other vaccines sharing a similar manufacturing process, "greatly expanding Europe's domestic vaccine production capability." The plant will give IDT Biologika one of Europe's largest vaccine manufacturing capacities which it claimed would play an important part in ensuring Europe's future vaccine supply independence.
Earlier this month, Industrial Info reported that the European Commission (EC) had granted conditional marketing authorisation (CMA) for the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine. The new plant should help defuse a public falling out between both parties when AstraZeneca had warned that its actual deliveries of the vaccine might fall by as much as 60% from previous estimates. For additional information, see February 8, 2021, article--Europe Approves AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine and February 1, 2021, article--Europe Warns AstraZeneca On Low COVID-19 Vaccine Deliveries.
"This agreement will greatly help Europe build an independent vaccine manufacturing capability that will allow it to meet the challenges of the current pandemic and create strategic supply capacity for the future," explained Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca chief executive officer. "We are delighted to be investing with our partner IDT Biologika in the future health, security and wellbeing of millions of citizens across Europe. I would like to thank the German Federal Government and the European Commission for their support in our efforts."
Jürgen Betzing, chief executive officer, IDT Biologika, added: The agreement underscores our expertise in the production of demanding vector-based vaccines and our ability to provide a one-stop solution, from creating drug substance, through to "fill and finish" and secondary packaging."
In related vaccine-manufacturing news, Pfizer/BioNTech stated recently that they had completed the manufacturing upgrades needed to overcome recent European delays in the production of its COVID-19 vaccine, while promising an extra 75 million doses by the spring. The companies said that their European manufacturing network has continually expanded since it received its first vaccine authorisations, from three partners to 13 currently. For additional information, see February 9, 2021, article--Pfizer/BioNTech Promise Extra 75 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses for EU.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
