Eurofarma will receive bulk drug substance from the US and begin producing finished doses in 2022. The initial agreement calls for a volume of more than 100 million doses to be distributed annually across the continent.

With the link-up, the American-German partners’ vaccine production and distribution network will rise to more than 20 facilities on four continents. In a statement, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the companies will continue to “pursue opportunities such as this to help ensure that vaccines are available to all who are in need.”

By their own account, Pfizer and BioNtech have delivered more than 1.3 billion doses to more than 120 countries and territories. Of the more than 3 billion doses planned to be delivered this year, 1 billion have been earmarked for low- and middle-income countries.  Half of the total will be offered at cost to the US government for donation to the 55-member African Union and the United Nations’ Covax program.

The latest news comes shortly after the Pan American Health Organization PAHO, part of the World Health Organization (WHO), said it would begin supplying Covid vaccines to Latin America this autumn, as the scheme appeared to be falling short of its goals.

In July, Pfizer and BioNTech agreed a similarly structured vaccine supply pact with South Africa’s Biovac. This calls for production of more than 100 million doses annually for distribution to the African Union. Biovac’s Cape Town plant will receive drug substance from Pfizer and BioNTech facilities in Europe and handle fill & finish as well as distribution.

Johnson & Johnson has pledged more than 400 million doses of its single-shot Covid vaccine to the African Union. The company has a cooperation with South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare. Reports last week said, however, that some of the Aspen doses planned for Africa had been sent to Europe.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist