Ireland opts into EU deal for 400 million more doses of possible Covid-19 vaccine
IRELAND is expected to increase its odds of getting access to early doses of any successful Covid-19 vaccine amid growing optimism that at least one of the leading candidates will be passed as safe and effective in the coming months.
It has emerged the Cabinet has given the go-ahead to the Government to opt into an agreement with the EU in sealing a deal with Johnson & Johnson to supply up to 400 million doses of its potential Covid-19 vaccine.
This is the third possible inoculation to which the nation could have access as the bloc builds up stocks amid a global scramble to secure shots.
The EU has also entered into an advance purchase contract with AstraZeneca and Sanofi, bringing the number of doses secured by the EU for its population of 450 million to 1.1 billion.
The next three or four months will be crucial in indicating whether there is hope for a vaccine that would gradually ease the burden of the pandemic in 2021 and reduce the need for lockdowns.
If there is a vaccine, healthcare workers will get the jab first, followed by vulnerable groups such as nursing home residents.
The details of the multimillion-euro agreement have not been disclosed by any of the members countries or the EU.
Under the terms of the deal, the 27 EU states will be able to order up to 400 million doses after it is authorised by the EU medicine regulator.
In order to secure the vaccines, the EU made an undisclosed down-payment to Johnson & Johnson.
It plans to allocate up to 500 million additional doses to poorer countries from mid2021.
Price
EU states would pay the full price only when they order it. The price and liability conditions are confidential.
The prospect of a vaccine remains the desperate hope of countries across Europe that otherwise face an inevitable cycle of damaging lockdowns and temporary exits for months ahead.
The EU has also said publicly that it was in advanced talks to secure vaccines being developed by Moderna, Cure-Vac and a partnership between Pfizer and BioNTech, which if they are confirmed would give the EU a total supply of nearly two billion doses.
Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine trial was paused last week due to “unexplained illness” in a study participant. It is running a 60,000-patient clinical trial.
The drug giant did not reveal the nature of the illness that brought its trial to a halt.
It said in a statement: “We must respect this participant’s privacy.
“We’re also learning more about this participant’s illness, and it’s important to have all the facts before we share additional information,” the statement added.
The illness is being investigated by the company as well as an independent board.
AstraZeneca’s jab, along with that of Oxford University, were the global front runners but may be overtaken by Pfizer.
Oxford’s jab works by transporting a fragment of the coronavirus into the body on-board another virus.
Early data from the Astra-Zeneca clinical trials suggest the vaccine is safe for people to receive and appears to trigger the correct type of immune response.
The latest news from Sanofi is that clinical trials of an experimental vaccine against Covid-19 is being developed with US biotech firm Translate Bio are on track to begin before the end of the year.
This comes after positive results in tests on animals.
Sanofi and Translate Bio said the results from pre-clinical trials showed two doses of the MRT5500 vaccine induced a “favourable” immune response in mice and monkeys.
Brings number of doses secured by EU for its population of 450 million to 1.1 billion
Trial
Sanofi and Translate Bio confirmed that a phase one and phase two trial on humans would begin in the fourth quarter of the year to test for safety and to determine the dosage before a possible final phase three trial.
However it is expected physical distancing will be with us again for 2021 even if there is a vaccine. Experts said that if even the vaccine is 75pc effective, it would not be enough to stop the virus circulating.