The final agreement follows a preliminary deal inked on July 31.

Both partners have been increasing capacity to meet the expected demand. Sanofi is supplying the antigen based on its influenza vaccine and GSK the adjuvant for the Covid candidate that is foreseen to enter Phase 3 trials some time this year. Altogether, the two companies aim to produce around 1 billion dose of the recombinant-protein vaccine per year.

The contract with the EU will allow the purchase of a vaccine supply for all member states. It  also provides for doses to be donated to lower- and middle-income countries.

The 27-member bloc has agreed to provide upfront funding to support the scale-up of Sanofi and GSK manufacturing capabilities on European soil. Both the antigen and final vaccine doses will be manufactured in EU countries, at the two companies’ production sites in Belgium, Italy, Germany and France.

The French and UK drugmakers signed a deal a supply deal with the US in late July, agreeing to provide up to 100 million doses of their recombinant protein-based vaccine to meet the US government’s Operation Warp Speed vaccine development targets, with an option to supply up to 500 million longer term.

Development of the adjuvanted candidate is being supported through funding and by the US emergency preparedness agency Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to the tune of $1.2 billion.

Sanofi and GSK have also agreed to supply  60 million doses to the UK.

Separately, Sanofi is working with Translate Bio on an mRNA-based prospect set to enter Phase 1/2 testing in November. Working with partner Translate Bio, it hopes to eventually roll out 90-360 million doses per year if the candidate is approved.

Author: Dede Williams, Freelance Journalist