Moderna gets fill and finish help
Teams with Baxter BioPharma Solutions to boost vax doses
Moderna is bolstering its coronavirus vaccine manufacturing efforts with an agreement with Baxter BioPharma Solutions to provide fill and finish services for 60 to 90 million vaccine doses this year.
“We have seen a remarkable demonstration of scientific and health care expertise in the effort to develop vaccines for COVID-19,” said Marie Keeley, vice president of Indiana-based Baxter BioPharma Solutions. “Baxter is honored to provide our deep expertise in vaccine manufacturing to help partners like Moderna bolster the supply of their vaccine.”
Baxter will provide fill and finish manufacturing services and supply packaging for about 60 to 90 million Moderna doses from its Indiana facility, the company announced on Monday.
“We welcome the opportunity to work with Baxter BioPharma Solutions on fill/finish manufacturing for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine in the U.S.,” said Juan Andres, Moderna’s chief technical operations and quality officer. “This additional production will help us continue to scale up our manufacturing capacity in the United States.”
Baxter BioPharma Solutions employs more than 700 people at its 600,000square-foot campus and has expertise in vaccines.
As coronavirus vaccination demand continues to far outweigh supply, Moderna isn’t the only company forging partnerships to ramp up production.
Last week, White House officials announced drug maker Merck & Co. will help produce rival Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine in an effort to expand supply more quickly.
Officials have said J&J faced unexpected production issues with its vaccine, but the company says it is on pace to deliver 100 million doses by the end of June.