2020.05.21 02:49
May 21, 2020 4:24 AM ET|About: AstraZeneca PLC (AZN)|By: Yoel Minkoff, SA News Editor
AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) has received more than $1B in U.S. funding to develop a COVID-19 vaccine with the University of Oxford and said it has supply agreements for 400M doses.
The money came from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, which has also provided funding for French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.
AstraZeneca said it has a total capacity sourced for 1B doses through 2020 and into 2021, and continues to increase capacity further.
Update: In an interview, CEO Pascal Soriot said that results from a Phase 1/2 study should be available by month-end or early June with Phase 3 data expected in September.
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) office responsible for the procurement and development of countermeasures, principally against bioterrorism, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats as well as epidemic, pandemic influenza and emerging diseases.[1]:140 BARDA reports to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and manages Project BioShield.[1]:140(from Internet)
I believe the money US is providing to AstraZenica and Sanofi to ensure Americans will get good vaccines in time is a good move.
The French company, Sanof, is tied to Moderna, and AstraZenica to University of Oxfords Vaccine, the two most well known Vaccines.